From The Independent of South Africa:
Cocktail of pollutants poisoned vleiChevron is Condoleezza Rice’s oil corporation.Willem Steenkamp
December 30 2006 at 10:56AM
A lethal build-up of nutrients poisoned the heart of the sensitive Rietvlei lagoon this week when thousands of fish, crabs and other marine life died after an alarming drop in oxygen levels in the estuary.
Described by locals as an ecological disaster, the stench of dying fish and rotting crabs this week wafted over residential areas around the vlei.
Volunteers gathered more than 60 tons of dead fish and by late Friday hundreds of thousands of small crabs lay dying along the beaches at the mouth of the lagoon.
Environmental experts and volunteers have collected samples of water and marine life. All water sports have been suspended by the authorities.
Cocktail of pollutants
City of Cape Town spokesperson Pieter Cronje said a cocktail of pollutants, which had washed down the stormwater pipes over many year, had finally reached critical levels in the vlei this week, sparking the disaster.
There were many rumours as to the cause of the disaster with some fingers pointing to a possible chemical spill at the nearby Chevron Refinery.
Andy Birkenshaw, environmental officer of the Table View Ratepayers’ Association, was particularly concerned that toxic chemicals used in the manufacture of lead replacement fuel might have landed in the vlei causing the death of marine life.
Which is also accused of complicity in killing opponents in Nigeria, etc.
Migratory birds killed in oil industry equipment: here.
Pollution in Durban, South Africa: here.
Unfortunately, the Cape Town examples are a tiny example of the world criss that has been caused by “The Manmade Toxic Chemical Age” that now prevails and was ushersed in with the commeciallization of PCB’s in 1930. Sice then hundreds of thousands of manmade toxic chemical substances have been manufactured and used indiscrimately. We now are awash in toxic water that we drink and use, and that is contaminating food. My new book, “A Drinker’s Guide to Pure Water–Is Your Water Safe?” describes how this has happened and what must be done to stop the poisoning of all life on earth.
Comment by Zalman P. Saperstein — December 31, 2006 @ 6:47 pm
Hi Mr Saperstein, thanks for commenting on this important issue.
Comment by Administrator — January 1, 2007 @ 10:11 am