Greenpeace aims to: 1) Protect human and animal health by eliminating sources of persistent organic pollutants, including PVC and chlorine; and promote cleaner alternatives; 2) Prevent developing nations and the world’s oceans from becoming dumping grounds for toxic waste.
Latest news: United States accused of environmental crimes over failure to clean up toxic dump sites
Friday, 04 August, 2000; Greenpeace activists joined villagers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas in the northern Pacific today to demand that the United States cleans up the toxic legacy it has left there and in other areas of the Pacific and Asia. The demand came as the local authorities accused US agencies of “gross negligence and criminality”.
– Further details
– Press releases archive
Toxic pollution campaign:
Rainbow Warrior arrives in Saipan – Pacific toxic hotspot
Saipan, August 2, 2000: As the Rainbow Warrior arrived in Saipan to work on PCBs, it was enthusiastically welcomed by Tanapag community members, local media and the Greenpeace ground team. When it docked, the crew unfurled over the side to cheers a huge yellow and black banner proclaiming: “USA – the world is watching you! Clean up Tanapag now!” Further details…
– Homebush Bay plays host to lethal toxic waste.
– 15 years ago: An explosion at a Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, India, kills 6000 sleeping men, women and children.
– Today: People are still being poisoned. Bhopal has never been cleaned up.
– Hey kids! Toxic Ted is worried about PVC in children’s toys.
Do something now:
PRESSURE ORICA, OLYMPIC POLLUTER. Orica, the company responsible for leaving a highly toxic sludge at Homebush Bay in Sydney, refuses to clean up their poisonous mess.
Email Orica at [email protected] and ask them to take responsibility.
Sample letter
Background facts here
Please support the people of Bhopal in their struggle for justice from Union Carbide. Listen to or read a special appeal from Greenpeace’s toxic campaigner in India.
MAKE UNION CARBIDE PAY. They are responsible for 6000 deaths in Bhopal, India, and people are still being affected. Also, before Orica poisoned Sydney’s Homebush Bay, Union Carbide produced the ingrediants for Agent Orange.
Write to Union Carbide, asking them to:
– adequately compensate all victims of the Bhopal disaster;
– clean up the toxic mess they left behind at Bhopal;
– accept responsibility for the contamination of Homebush Bay and compensate the people of NSW
Union Carbide Chemicals (Aust) Pty Ltd
1 Jordan St, Gladesville, NSW 2111
PO BOX 287 Gladesville NSW 2111
Phone: (02) 9879 6066
Fax: (02) 9817 3318
Background facts here
WATCH OUT! Investigate toxic hotspots in Australia with our special guide to dioxin manufacturers. Find out which one is near YOU. Read about the health impacts of these toxins.
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Recent happenings, news, reports:
The most toxic chemicals known to humankind…POPs (persistent organic pollutants) are poisonous synthetic organic chemicals which just don’t quit. They:
* stay in the environment for many years;
* travel through air and water;
* poison people and wildlife through the food chain.
POPs have been associated with health and environmental injuries, including cancer and reproductive defects. LEARN MORE about persistent organic pollutants.
Dioxins (a type of POP) are one of the most toxic synthetic substances known. They are:
* easily ingested and passed along the food chain to animals and humans
* linked to cancer, endometriosis and other diseases, may affect foetuses in utero and diminish intellectual capacity.
LOOK INTO dioxins.
What is the government doing about these blacklisted chemicals? What are the global and Australian regulations?
Major dioxin contamination in Sydney’s playground! Homebush Bay, site of the Sydney Games is loaded with dioxins – just read the Greenpeace Special Dioxin Report.
READ the eye-opening Greenpeace report Dioxin Hotspots: Known and Potential Sources of Dioxin Pollution in Australia – A Greenpeace Investigation, by Matt Ruchel and Dr Darryl Luscombe (240-page report comprising 13 PDF files)
There is a fact sheet available on this campaign.