Greenpeace concerned about WTC steel for India
India Post New Service, India Post, 15 Feb. 2002.
WASHINGTON: Environmental activists are concerned about the potential contamination of almost 30,000 tons of steel scrap from the World Trade Center wreckage exported to Sabari Exim Private Ltd. in Chennai. Trade union and environmental groups say if the rest of the debris from Ground Zero gives an indication, WTC scrap may be contaminated with carcinogenic asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, mercury, lead and other toxic or dangerous substances.
The international environmental group Greenpeace has called for an immediate investigation into whether the shipments are contaminated, and a halt to further moving of the scrap until it is proven that these shipments are safe for the workers and environments.
"We admit that the steel scrap may not at all be contaminated. But it is better to be safe than sorry, and the burden of proving that the scrap is safe is on the U.S. exporter and government," said Manu Gopolan, Greenpeace's toxics campaigner in India. The group is worried that workers may be exposed to harmful toxins while handling the scrap.
Greenpeace, PUCL (Tamil Nadu-Pondicherry) and central trade unions such as Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), HMS and AITUC have also written to the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi demanding an investigation.
"We're totally opposed to the United States and other rich countries using India as a dumping ground for all kinds of wastes and rejects. Such dumping of steel scrap adversely affects the major steel plants in our country, apart from causing whole environment and health problems," said a spokesperson of the CITU from New Delhi, adding that the U.S. government must provide evidence that the steel scrap sent to India is not contaminated.
"In the event that your evidence points to contamination, we hope you will live up to the memory of those killed in the September 11 disaster and arrange for the re-export to the U.S. of the steel scrap already sent to India," the group said in their letter to the U.S. Embassy. Copies of this letter were also sent to the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests.
