Media Room

Archbishop Edward Gilbert comments on the Smelter controversy in his January 21, 2007 Catholic News column titled "Crime/violence vs values/virtues 1"

Of Jep nests and marabuntas by Prof Julian Kenny - MS Word

Thanks for supporting anti-smelter struggle - letter by Fr Wilfred John in Catholic News January 7, 2007 edition

Unanswered Smelter Questions by Professor John Spence - MS Word

Statement on the proposal to build two aluminum smelters in La Brea and in the south west peninsula of Trinidad and Tobago

Comments on the establishment of Aluminium Smelters in Trinidad and Tobago by Dr Ivan Chang Yen - MS Word

A Chatham Riposte by Prof Julian Kenny - MS Word

The Aluminium Smelter issue - Unanswered questions by Prof Julian Kenny - MS Word

Reject Alcoa Aluminium Smelter Part 1, Part2 and Part 3 by Professor John Spence - MS Word

download from Alcoa Australia - 2002 Sustainability Report

Relevant sections
**2nd and 3rd paragraph  -  page 1
Innovation at Portland Aluminium  -  page 21
Global emissions reduction -  page 22
**Smelter Fluoride emissions & odour emission -  page 23
Air Emissions  -  page 25
Compliance (2nd paragraph)  -  page 28
**Non-compliance incidents (2002)  -  page 29
Measuring environment, health & safety  - page 33
Increasing safety awareness & Committed to employee health    -  page34
Health issues at Wagerup  -  page 35 - 36
Healthwise  -  page 36 - 37

download from Alcoa Australia - 2004-05 Sustainability report

Relevant sections
Greenhouse Intensity (Figure 1)        - page 6
Healthwise (3rd paragraph)                - page 33 - 34
Environment (non-complaiance incidents)  - page 40.

Response of the Western Australian Government to the Western Australian Legislative Council, Standing Committee on Environment and Public Affairs in relation to the Alcoa Refinery at Wagerup Inquiry - PDF 208k

Relevant sections
Department of Health (subtitled)  -  page 8,
See also recommendation #3 page 11
                                    “           #5 and #6 page 12
                                    “           #7, 8 and 9 page 13    
                                    “           #10 page 14
                                    “           #22 and 23 page 17
“           #29 on page 20

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Standing Committee on Environment and Public Affairs - Alcoa Refinery at Wagerup - Transcript of evidence taken at Perth on Monday 18th August, 2003 - pdf 89k

Relevant quotes by Professor D'Arcy Holman, Chair in Public Health, School of Population Health, the University of Western Australia:
"I think we need a full health impact assessment of all major, new industrial developments.  We have an environmental impact assessment, and I think there also needs to be a health impact assessment; it would be very positive to have a process that produces both an environmental and health impact assessment right at the beginning of these proposals and that would help make sure that the Department of Health was involved." (pages 15 -16).

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome
"Alcoa takes the approach that their aim is to reduce odour, and that has consistently come through in the various presentations that they have made to the Wagerup Medical Practitioners Forum.  They monitor odour complaints quite closely....I am aware, as you have intimated, that it is not the situation that odour and symptoms are always linked one to the other. ... I do not think we should get trapped into thinking there is just one kind of aetiological pathway here.  It is quite likely that we are dealing with a complex bag of different effects of different substances, some of which smell and some do not." (1st paragraph, pages 14 -15).

Post EIA Review and Assessment Report - May 2006 by the Environmental Management Authority of Trinidad & Tobago - PDF 55k

Response of the Wagerup Medical Practitioners' Forum to the proposed Wagerup Refinery Unit 3 Expansion (Alcoa) - 23 June, 2005 - PDF 40k

“Although there are differences between a Refinery and a Smelter, the lessons to be learnt in this statement, can be instructive especially for those who are in charge of the decision making process on the setting-up of Smelters in Trinidad.”

Other relevant links - World Socialist Web Site