MR: Coode Island butadiene gas ships an unacceptable risk - David Risstrom

[Cr David Risstrom]

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COODE ISLAND BUTADIENE GAS SHIPS AN UNACCEPTABLE RISK

Melbourne City Greens and Victorian Greens Senate Candidate Cr. David
Risstrom condemned a proposal to transport highly dangerous butadiene in gas
ships up the Yarra and to keep them it storage for decades to come at Coode
Island.

Making public the proposal, Greens Cr. Risstrom asked, ³Why haven¹t the
community been made aware of the risks they will face? People have a right
to know.²

The proposal by multinational Dow Chemicals involves shipping butadiene on
gas ships and storing it in newly built facilities at Coode Island.
Butadiene is currently sourced from Qenos at the Altona petrochemical
complex, where production is expected to cease within the year.

Why is the transporting butadiene to Coode Island and storing it such a
concern?
* Butadiene has a class 2 risk rating, being more dangerous than any other
material we know is currently stored at Coode Island.
* It is extremely flammable, a significant fire and explosion hazard and can
readily form explosive mixtures in air.
* Butadiene vapours are heavier than air. The vapour can accumulate and
travel along the ground a significant distance to an ignition source,
resulting in a flash-fire.
* The US Department of Transportation requires fire incidents to be isolated
for 1.6 kms in all directions, when Coode Island is only a few hundred
metres from the closest houses.

³This would be the first time gas ships would be travelling up the Yarra to
this point, making the ships an unacceptably dangerous target², David
Risstrom said.

³The increased threat of terrorism makes facilitates such as these in highly
populated areas totally unacceptable.²

³It is wrong for a secret tender to be run that will see the transport and
storage of a volatile and dangerous chemical at Coode Island when so many
residents live dangerously close.²

³A new Coode Island butadiene storage facility means the community will
remain at risk for decades to come², David Risstrom said. ³Corio appears to
be a safer alternative.²

The extent of Government involvement or endorsement remains unknown. ³If the
State or Federal Governments were aware of this, when were they going to
tell people what was happening?² asked Cr. Risstrom.

For information or interview: Cr. David Risstrom  0418 502 713 or Simon
Lansdown  0415 535 564 Vic Greens Media Officer



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