April 20, 2006
"Nasty Nine": Three Down, "Sickening Six" to Go
BY: jsavitz
Oceana’s Campaign to Clean Up the Nasty Nine is progressing with three mercury-based chlorine plants now committed to either switch to go mercury free or shut down. We’re now “Through with three of the Nasty Nine, and have only the Sickening Six to go!”
Yesterday Occidental Chemical announced it would shut down its mercury-based factory in Muscle Shoals, Louisiana.
Here’s more on our statement applauding Oxy and reminding the other five companies to get with the program:
“Oceana has been working for more than a year to get the nine plants that continue to use outdated mercury technology for chlorine production to shift to readily available mercury-free technology. Unfortunately, Occidental has not chosen to go that route for economic reasons, and this clearly has implications for dozens of workers for which we hope Occidental will find a just transition.
“Nonetheless, Oceana applauds Occidental for its elimination of mercury-based chlorine production in both its Alabama and Delaware facilities. This will lead to tremendous environmental and public health benefits, including the complete removal of the largest single source of mercury air emissions in the state of Alabama. We hope that Occidental will also engage in a careful and complete cleanup of any residual mercury that may be left on the site, so as not to repeat the mistakes made at the Olin facility in McIntosh, Alabama.
“Occidental’s commitment to mercury-free production confirms that what we have been asking these companies to do is entirely achievable,” Savitz said. “Olin Corporation, PPG, ERCO Worldwide, Pioneer, and Ashta Chemicals should watch closely and follow suit.”
So what do you think of the “sickening six?” What other “s”-words might work for these guys?