WA Greens MLC Robin Chapple expresses serious safety concerns over conversion of BP refinery
WA Greens Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Robin Chapple has spoken out about BP’s decision to convert its Kwinana refinery to an import terminal.
Mr Chapple spoke generally of the increased ecological and health risks that this move creates; the new terminal will bring in foreign fuels that use the carcinogenic additive Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE).
“These replacement fuels, largely from developing nations in Asia, carries an immense risk to the people exposed to them and the environment as a whole”
“MTBE is such a volatile product that even low amounts will contaminate ground water irreparably for generations and at only four parts per billion, is enough to make water undrinkable”
“The State Government needs to step in and regulate this dangerous chemical, removing it from WA’s fuel supply to stop more environmentally sensitive companies from being undercut by dangerous, sub-standard fuel imports”
“If the State Government was serious about not wanting a monopoly on fuel, they need to stop looking for cheap short term options. We need to invest in the undeniable viability of clean and renewable technologies to meet our energy needs”
