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Lead Letters – Asking The Lead Supplier
To Cease Supply
After returning from Beijing, Elizabeth O’Brien decided to
create a special appeal for donations to fund the follow-up activities arising
from the meeting (see LEAD
Group Homepage ) and to write the following letter a few days prior to the
release of the Mount
Isa Community Lead Screening Program 2006-07 report by Queensland Health.
1. Letter From The Lead Group To Xstrata
From: The LEAD Group
To: Mr Steve de Kruijff, [Chief Operating Officer, Xstrata
Copper North Queensland]
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 1:15 PM
Subject: Lead-Safety in Mount Isa and beyond - in fact, all
the way to Burma
Dear Mr de Kruijff,
I've been envisioning a better future for you than the way
things look like going once Queensland Health releases their Mount Isa
children's blood lead study report on Thursday. Please reply to let me know that
you have received this email. And please give some thought to its content and
let me know how you plan to respond.
You likely are aware now of the Burmese government's inability
to make humane decisions on the part of their populace. I became aware of this
inability over the last four years in my capacity as a representative of the
global community, that is, as a Partner (DEWHA is the only other Australian
Partner) of the Partnership for Cleaner Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) - under the
auspices of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
Burma is one of the "straggler countries" - 16
countries where leaded petrol is still sold for road vehicles - 16 countries
that are either themselves unwilling to save their populations from this
unnecessary lead exposure or who are dependent on fuel from such a country.
You also likely are aware that the lead in all that leaded
petrol (which contributes to the continuing lead exposure of a quarter of a
billion people) comes from Mount Isa's Xstrata operations. Xstrata's Mount Isa
operations ship lead ore to Britannia in the UK, Britannia smelts it and sells
lead metal to Innospec in the UK, who turn the lead into alkyl lead (which when
added to petrol turns unleaded petrol into leaded petrol). I'm sure you know all
this - please respond instantly if I've got any of that wrong.
My vision for the days ahead is that instead of talking about
"Living With Lead" (which has the unfortunate implication of getting
used to the way things are), you will start talking about "Living
Lead-Safely" and you will announce that Xstrata's new Lead Stewardship
Policy precludes Xstrata from any longer supplying the lead that ends up in
leaded petrol in Burma and the other 15 straggler countries. Xstrata's new
Stewardship Policy will send the message to Innospec that they need simply
replace the alkyl lead they currently supply to countries using it or on-selling
it for use in road vehicles, with a safer alternative from their current product
range. Xstrata and Innospec will be part of the solution, not part of the
continuing problem.
The LEAD Group is a charity dedicated to the elimination of
lead poisoning globally, and protection of the environment from lead. Is it
possible that Xstrata and The LEAD Group have a confluence of aims?
I run the world's largest publicly-accessible lead library and
referrals database so would be pleased to provide ANY information and referrals
you might need to help Xstrata and its Alliance play an active role in reducing
blood lead levels within the Mount Isa community as well. You only need ask for
what you want.
Yours Sincerely
Elizabeth O'Brien, Winner of the United Nations Assoc'n of Australia (UNAA)
World Environment Day (WED) Award for Outstanding Service to the Environment.
President, The LEAD (Lead Education and Abatement Design) Group Inc.
Manager, Global Lead Advice & Support Service (GLASS) run by The LEAD Group
Inc.
PO Box 161 Summer Hill NSW 2130 Australia
Ph +61 2 9716 0014
www.lead.org.au
2. Response From Xstrata To The Lead Group
[web-published with the kind permission of Xstrata]
From: Sue Sara, [General Manager, Corporate Affairs
Queensland, Xstrata]
To: The LEAD Group
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 1:51 PM
Subject: Response
Dear Elizabeth,
Thank you for your email of 20 May regarding the supply of
lead from Mount Isa ultimately for use in leaded petrol by countries such as
Burma. Unfortunately we are unable to comment on the products that are supplied
to particular customers for a variety of commercial reasons. It is probably
worth noting that for aviation applications, where many aircraft engines are 20
years old (or older) there is a mandatory requirement to use leaded fuel. At
Xstrata we work with our stakeholders to mitigate the environmental impacts of
our product life cycle and supply chain. Our Sustainable Development Policy and
Standard 14 include our commitment to work with our stakeholders to mitigate the
environmental impacts of our product lifecycle and supply chain and implement
integrated systems to treat the impacts and risks associated with our products
and services throughout their lifecycle. This includes impacts that may occur at
stages in the lifecycle that are outside Xstrata's control. As part of this
approach Xstrata plays an active role in a number of industry and commodity
associations and initiatives to contribute to product stewardship - this
includes the the ICMM Guide on Material Stewardship, the GreenLead Project, the
International Lead-Zinc Research Organisation and the International Lead
Association. Further information on our sustainable development policies and
performance is located at Xstrata
Sustainability website
Thank you very much for offering us access to your database
and library of materials regarding lead, and for your interest in Xstrata.
Regards,
Sue Sara GM Corporate Affairs Queensland, Xstrata Copper on behalf of Steve de
Kruijff.
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