GAIA

PM Koizumi Urged: Don't Fund Incinerator Projects
in Malaysia and Elsewhere, No Yen to Export Harm

Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Tokyo, 15 March 2004. In an unprecedented move, citizens' groups from 41 countries, including today asked the Government of Japan to desist from promoting and funding incineration projects overseas, particularly in Malaysia where a controversial 1.5 billion ringgit (about US$395 million) waste burner is being planned amidst strong objections from concerned communities and NGOs on environmental, health, legal and financial grounds.

The petition, signed by 220 groups and individuals, was submitted to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at his office in Tokyo and also through the Japanese Embassies in Kuala Lumpur and Manila. Moreover, anti-incinerator campaigners from nine countries faxed the petition to Japan's foreign missions in a synchronized action aimed at stopping dirty technology dumping in the region.

GAIA member Setsuko Yamamoto submits petition to the representative of PM Koizumi

The petitioners drew PM Koizumi's attention to a gasification- type incinerator to be designed and built by Ebara Corporation in an environmentally-sensitive location in Broga, Malaysia. The project, which will cost a whopping US$395 million to construct and about US$53 million annually to run and maintain, is suspected to get funding assistance from Japanese sources. Concerned residents and NGOs object to the plan because it will threaten the communities close by with environmental and health risks and saddle taxpayers with massive financial overheads.

The Government of Malaysia refuses to disclose the funding arrangements for the Broga incinerator despite persistent query from community and NGO representatives. Setsuko Yamamoto of the pressure group Non-Incineration Citizens of Japan warned countries in Asia and the Pacific to "watch out what your governments are going to receive from the most incinerator-intensive country in the world." She explained, "there is no hope for the dirty industry to build new incinerators in our small country because of strong citizens" protest and enormous failures of waste burners, including newly built gasification incinerators with their high record of malfunctions, explosions, fires and dioxin leaks in the past two years. " Critical of the industry expansion abroad in the era of globalization, the Japanese activist asked Prime Minister Koizumi "to urge Ebara Corporation to stop their shameful export of polluting technology."

"We object to the use of Japanese yen loans, grants, export subsidies and guarantees to promote and/or fund Japanese incinerator projects in Broga and elsewhere," stated Von Hernandez, co-coordinator of the Manila-based Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)." The impending entry into force of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in May 2004 should compel governments, funding institutions and companies to shift to cleaner and safer technologies, which do not generate hazardous releases into the environment and	GAIA members in the Philippines hand over the global petition to Mr. Rafael Lapito, representative of the Embassy of Japan. Photo by: G.Cruz
jeopardize public health," added Ann Leonard, the other co-coordinator of GAIA from US. The POPs treaty has identified waste incineration as a major source of cancer- causing dioxins and other deadly by-products of combustion process.
The Broga-Semenyih No Incinerator Protem Action Committee, which is in the forefront of the local campaign, welcomed the latest action by concurring groups abroad. "The global petition to PM Koizumi adds strength to our continuing resistance and emboldens us to carry on and win our fight for environmental health and justice," said Prof. P. Ramasamy, Chairperson of the Committee. "The Japanese Government and its agencies for overseas development aid and assistance should be sensitive to the feelings and views of affected communities and should not be seen as imposing a project that is not welcomed by the local people," added Prof. Ramasamy. Meenakshi Raman, Legal Advisor, Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP), commented that "genuine development cooperation must serve, first and foremost, the health and well- being of the people." CAP, which has been working closely with community representatives, asked government leaders in both Japan and Malaysia to guarantee the "community right to know" and ensure public access to essential information on the Broga project, including the funding details. The petitioners asked Prime Minister Koizumi not to use the Japanese yen to export harm and urged him to act on their demands: 1. That the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Japan International Cooperation Agency and other related offices stop promoting and funding the construction of waste incinerators in Asia and the Pacific and the rest of the world. 2. That Japanese incinerator companies desist from exporting their harmful and unsustainable products. 3. That Japan withdraws any funding commitment for the Broga incinerator project in Malaysia in view of the broad citizens' opposition. The environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for the Broga incinerator proposal is still under review by the Department of Environment (DOE). Submissions made by concerned community groups and NGOs, which were largely based on the support from GAIA experts and other allies, were critical in delaying the approval of the EIA. Opponents have the option to challenge the project in court if and when the DOE approves the EIA. GAIA, which coordinated the signature drive, is a growing alliance of not-for-profit groups and individuals who commit themselves to ending all forms of waste incineration and to promoting clean production, zero waste and sustainable systems for managing discards. For more information about GAIA, its mission and work, please visit www.no-burn.org To read more about the Broga incinerator project, please go to http://www.no-incinerators.com To read the full text of the petition to PM Koizumi, please log on to http://www.no-burn.org/action/broga2let.html or contact Manny C. Calonzo at manny.gaia@no-burn.org