Bayer, Monsanto Poison Norway

from CBG network

The City of Oslo's Department of Environment, has directed a claim of seven million Euros to three multinational chemical companies responsible for severe contamination with polychorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Oslo fjord. About half of the PCBs in Oslo harbor have been traced back to German chemical giant Bayer AG. The rest originates from two other producers, Belgium based Solutia (chemical division of multinational Monsanto) and the Japanese Kaneka Corporation. In a letter to Bayer AG the City of Oslo has asked for a compensation of 3.5 million Euros to cover part of the clean up of heavily contaminated sediments in Oslo harbor. Similar clams have been addressed to the two other companies.

Wide parts of the Norwegian coast are heavily contaminated with PCBs. this is well documented by Norwegian pollution control authorities. In several areas the use of seafood is restricted or forbidden. Oslo's action is backed up by Friends of the Earth Norway, Norway's largest environmental organization. Tom Erik Okland, of Friends of the Earth Norway commented, "A Norwegian lawsuit will be considered if the PCB producers do not voluntarily participate in the cost sharing scheme. Our investigation has firmly established that the main sources of PCBs to Oslo harbor have been ship painting and sandblasting at the shipyards. The named PCB producers supplied PCBs for ship paint, but failed to inform the shipyard about the environmental hazards involved. Such information could have prevented most of the PCB pollution along the coast."

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