NEWS RELEASE dated August 9, 2000

New scientific evidence suggests that the Erika, a Maltese registered tanker was illegally carrying away TotalFina-Elf refinery wastes

After several months of investigating chemical composition of the residues that contaminated 450 km (300 miles) of the Atlantic coast of France when the tanker Erika sunk on December 12, 1999, a small French private service laboratory (Analytika - http://www.labo-analytika.com) isolated and formally identified benzalkonium chloride (at a minimum concentration of approximately 3000 ppm / parts per million).

This astonishing discovery means that 120 tons of this synthetic chlorinated chemical were added to the petroleum residues cargo to reduce its viscosity and adherence to metal surfaces. (1)

Such a concentration of benzalkonium chloride (also a powerful disinfectant, used in anti-fouling paints and for eradicating zebra mussels) may explain the extremely high mortality rate of oiled birds after clean-up (more than 97%), and many of the health problems volunteers have experienced and reported after being exposed to the residues (lethal concentrations of this chemical for marine life were established in 1997 by Aquatic Animal Health Research of Bangkok between 2 et 3 ppm).

The presence of this chemical, which is extremely corrosive to metals, may explain the tanker's structural damages that lead to Erika's hull breakage and subsequent disastrous oil spill. Based on this new scientific evidence, Volunteer Association ABE (1000 + members) immediately asked the French Courts to designate independent experts for sampling and analysis.

Unfortunately, bowing to TotalFina's suggestion, the judge of the French Court in Brest (Tribunal de Grande Instance) rejected the ABE request on August 4, 2000, and ABE will therefore only be allowed to join the current court investigation and analysis of fuel samples taken during the pumping of the wreck.

ABE will also join some hundred cities and organizations requesting from the French Court of Sables d'Olonne (Tribunal de Grande Instance), with no success for several months, independent experts for sampling and analysis.

Since the oil spill, seven (7) months ago, it turns out that no other independent labs could be found in France to determine the true nature of the cargo, officially declared as bunker C residual fuel (FO6 international standard / FO2 French standard) by the French major oil company TotalFina-Elf...

As early as January 21, 2000, the independent laboratory Analytika was able to identify almost 100 carcinogens (known as PAC Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds), including approximately 60 sulfur-containing molecules, in the residues polluting the west coast of France.

After several thousand volunteers had been left exposed for more than 2 months of fighting the oil spill they generously helped clean-up, the French health authorities finally asked State controlled Labs INERIS and INVS to evaluate the toxicity of the residues, but only on a very restrictive list of 16 PAH listed by EPA....rather than on the actual residue composition.

And the Dutch official Lab RIVM reviewed INERIS analysis based on their more extensive knowledge of Bunker C, but did not perform any actual analysis of the residues.

The previously French state-owned oil company TotalFina (owner of the cargo) did not request any official authorization to add this chlorinated chemical, nor to transport such a modified Bunker C, which is in breach of both French and European transportation laws applicable to such dangerous wastes.

Eight months after the disaster, the several thousand victims of the oil spill's economical consequences are still waiting for TotalFina-Elf's responsibility to be established, recognized, and adequately sanctioned ...

(1) The TotalFina refinery in Dunkerque, where the tanker Erika was loaded on December 9, 1999, had gone through its periodical 5 year clean-up only a few months prior to the catastrophic spill....

Signed:
Association des Bénévoles d'Erika (Erika's Volunteers Association)
Association Loi 1901 déclarée à  la sous préfecture d'Avesnes sur Helpe le 10
mars 2000 (French Non Profit Organization registered on March 10, 2000)

Contacts:
Le Président de l'Association : Rossano Pulpito 03 23 53 75 51 ou 06 10 60 51 68,
Le Secrétaire Général : Jacques Samyn 03 23 52 66 77 ou 06 80 66 92 95

Les sites à consulter :
http://erika.benevoles.free.fr
http://www.labo-analytika.com

Association des Bénévoles d'Erika
Association Loi 1901-déclarée à la Sous Préfecture d'Avesnes sur Help le 10 mars 2000
251 rue du Pont de Pierre - 59600 MAUBEUGE
Tél : 03.27.64.69.57
Site : http://erika.benevoles.free.fr
email : erika.benevoles@free.fr