Thousands of mercury waste barrels are stockpiled at the Thor
Chemical plant in Cato Ridge, Kwazulu-Natal. Most of these barrels
belong to a few US companies and we are working with counterparts
in South Africa to bring that waste back to the US. Three Thor
workers have already died from mercury poisoning and over thirty
suffer from terrible health problems related to mercury poisoning.
We are organizing a return-to-sender campaign for the waste that
originally came from the US. We will work closely with groups
in the US to determine what should happen to that waste once it
gets here.
In 1996, the government appointed a three person commission
of inquiry to obtain evidence on the mercury poisoning and deaths
of workers at the Thor plant in Kwazulu/Natal. SAEPEJ was asked
to assist in obtaining resources for the hearing to the Thor commission.
The commission of inquiry recommended buring the waste on site
with safety standards one hundred times worse than currently allowed
in South Africa. The findings are currently being reconsidered
by the parliament. Mr. Willem Scott from the government's directorate
of pollution control said that his department is not convinced
that Thor could burn the waste safely. The eventual fate of three
million kilograms of toxic mercury waste at Thor is presently
being considered by government. We need your help to publicize
this issue.
The Thor Chemical plant in Cato Ridge