Posted 25th June 2001

Wakes Up And Smell The Sulphur

80% of Auckland's air pollution is caused by vehicle emissions, particularly those urban assault vehicles designed initially for off-road use and the entirely unnecessary number of trucks on city streets. 60% of the dobbed in smoky vehicles in the 0800-SMOKEY ARC campaign were diesel powered, although only 14% of all vehicles run on diesel. Now the ARC has finally discovered (after PTV show about urban transport?) that the oil companies are able to make an immediate difference to air quality by reducing the level of sulphur in diesel produced from around 2400 parts per million to 1000ppm. Using existing technology and at minimal cost, the NZ Refinery Company can do this almost overnigh.

The difference would be significant, reducing emissions by about 1000 kg every day in Auckland alone. This fine particulate is potentially carcinogenic (see previous www.pl.net article), stays suspended in the air for 30 days, and has deep lung penetration.

New Zealand's diesel is much dirtier than comparable countries. We permit sulphur levels of 3000 parts per million, which is higher than the Philippines (at 2000ppm) and way higher than the European limit of 350ppm, the US's limit of 500ppm, and Australia's voluntary limit of 500ppm, which the Aussies will be reducing to 50ppm by 2006.

All four major oil companies need to agree to support the initiative to enable the NZ Refinery Company to produce the lower sulphur diesel. BP, Caltex and Shell are on side but Mobil isn't. We're asking you to do three simple things to show your support for cleaner air in Auckland:

1. Support only BP, Caltex, Shell, Gull or Challenge until Mobil agrees to participate. Tell others to do so too.

2. Take just one minute to visit www.smokey.org.nz/icare/ and fill out the coupon supporting cleaner air for the whole country.

3. Spread the word.

Its no coincidence that Mobil happens to be part of the biggest oil conglomerate in the world, and that it supported Bush's election in the USA, and that that Bush family is in the oil business, and that Dick Chaney - right-hand man to Bush - was for years an executive in the oil industry, and that practically the first thing Bush did on election was to renege on the CO2 emissions reduction Kyoto Treaty and that now Mobil is super confident about its ability to do whatever its bottom line dictates and get away with it. Can you swallow that?

Go to www.stopmobil.net Lets breath easy.