The mercury stockpile, which is the largest in the United
States, was recovered from HoltraChem, a Maine-based
chlorine-caustic factory. D.F. Goldsmith and Metal Corp., an
Illinois-based trader has purchased the stockpile, allegedly for
shipment to a secret recipient in India.
Companies and Government agencies in the US do not want to adopt
the stockpile because of the severe environmental liabilities and
potential environmental risks associated with storing the metal,
which is known to be a deadly nerve poison.
Following protests by Maine-based NGOs, the Governor of Maine
approached the US Government to prevent the export and instead add
the stockpile to the existing store of used mercury in the US
Department of Defense's stockpile. Neither Maine nor any of the
neighbouring states have any facilities to store the material. The
US Government has refused to accept the mercury stockpile claiming
they lack authority to do so.
"The United States government is an accomplice in poisoning the
poor for profit. It is deplorable that we are preparing to send to
India a highly toxic substance that we do not want to live with in
the United States," said Lisa Finaldi, Greenpeace USA's toxics
campaigner. "Even as we phase out this toxic metal from our
products and lives in the United States, we shamelessly export it
to industrializing countries knowing fully well the magnitude of
damage to human lives and environment it can cause in these
countries."
Faced with growing environmental concerns surrounding the toxic
metal, many US cities, states and hospitals are phasing out mercury
thermometers as a first step towards eliminating mercury releases
into the environment. Boston, San Francisco, and the US state of
New Hampshire have outlawed mercury thermometers. In September, 11
leading retailers and manufacturers, including Walmart, Kmart
Corporation and Meijer's Supermarkets, announced that they would
terminate sales of mercury fever thermometers.
"In India, this import can preempt fledgling attempts by Indian
groups to frame rules to handle existing mercury contamination and
to find alternatives to mercury," said Basel Action Network
spokesperson Ravi Agarwal in New Delhi.
Over the last few years, Greenpeace, Basel Action Network and
Toxics Link have highlighted numerous instances of toxic trade, of
hazardous waste dumping and the export of dirty, obsolete products
or technologies by industrialized countries into India. India seems
to be a preferred dumping ground for the West.
The activist groups have raised the matter with the US Embassy
and the Government of India, and have alerted the trade unions,
including the dockworkers unions. The groups have also expressed
their appreciation to the US citizens groups and the Maine Governor
Angus King for their efforts to sensitise the US Government on this
latest instance "toxic trade."
"We have had enough of USA's toxic imperialism, where unwanted
and dangerous substances, technologies and wastes are routinely
dumped on industrializing countries," said Madhumita Dutta, an
activist with New Delhi-based Toxics Link. "India must refuse the
import of this horribly toxic and persistent poison. Instead, India
must begin to work on policies that phase out our own use of the
metal at home.