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Toxics Action at Billiton in Arnhem the Netherlands

Shoot

GP01OY9

10/12/1990

The Greenpeace ship Beluga and activists protest at Billiton in Arnhem by placing two dirty barrels symbolizing the enormous amounts of toxics Billiton discharges in the river Rhine every day. The action is part of the Rijn-acties (Rhine-actions) in which Greenpeace takes action against the pollution of the river Rhine by Pennwalt, Shell and Billiton. None of these firms think they are responsible for the consequences of the discharges, they have after all a discharge permit by the government. According to these permits the firms are allowed to discharge certain amounts of toxics. The result of long-term negotiations between firms and the authorities that grant permits is that discharges of toxics, that are stated in permits, are in general much higher than the environment can bear. Billiton for example discharges waste water with a concentration of heavy metals that exceeds the limiting values for environmental quality over a hundred times. Greenpeace wants to put an end to this tolerance policy. (see also shoot GP01OXJ and GP01OXM)