Home > Press releases > 1999
22 Apr 1999
ICI will be told today by Friends of the Earth that its pollution record over the last year is unacceptable and threatens both health and the environment.
ICI's record over the last twelve months includes:
. the release of tonnes of hydrochloric acid into a national wildlife site in Teesside,
. coming top in the Environment Agency's first “hall of shame”, of companies fined most for illegal pollution,
. being placed 2nd, 5th, 6th and 14th in Friends of the Earth's “Factorywatch” league table of filthy factories, by releasing over 2,000 tonnes of cancer-causing chemicals,
. having an enforcement notice served on them by the Environment Agency after the release of two tonnes of solvent into the River Tees.
Michael Meacher, Minister for the Environment, commented in February on the Teesside acid spill that “this is the latest in a series of incidents involving ICI and it is not acceptable.I have therefore made it clear to the Environment Agency that I want too see it continue to use prosecution vigorously to deter bad environmental practice.” The Chairman of ICI, Sir Ronnie Hampel, had promised at last year's AGM that “...the company is determined to improve its performance”.
Mike Childs, Senior Pollution Campaigner at Friends of the Earth commented:
“ ICI has an appalling pollution record. On a daily basis they put people's health and the environment at risk. The Government and the Environment Agency must make ICI take environmental protection seriously. They must force them to reduce releases of hazardous substances to air, water and land by at least four fifths by 2005.”
Contact details:
Friends of the Earth
26-28 Underwood St.
LONDON
N1 7JQ
Tel: 020 7490 1555
Fax: 020 7490 0881
Web: www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html
Media team
