Bangkok, 6 October 2005. Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Campaign for Alternative Industry Network (CAIN) and Global Community Monitor (GCM) today are releasing the new report titled "Thailand’s Air : Toxic Cocktail – Exposing Unsustainable Industries and the case of community-right-to-know" that shows some of the most shocking evidences of toxic pollution that are being released by Multinationals at Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate.

Some of the most shocking findings include air test results that prove people in Rayong province are breathing toxic chemicals from industry that are 60 to over 3,000 times higher than health standards in developed nations. The air samples show that men, women and children are breathing a "cocktail" of many chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects and serious illness.

The groups has been working together to set up "do-it-ourselves pollutant inventories" at Map Ta Phut area, using the popularization of simplified "grab sampling" that simulates the lung’s breathing in of foul chemical odours and allows for detailed testing of their chemical makeup – this method known as "the Bucket Brigade". The new report documents the extremely dangerous levels of hazardous air pollution present in residential areas surrounding the Map Ta Phut area. Five air samples were taken over an eight month period in 2004 to represent the all too numerous chemical odor releases that take place routinely.

Some of the most shocking findings include:
Benzene -known human cancer causing agent- detected in 4 of the 5 samples exceeded the US EPA Annual Ambient Air Screening Level by as much as 60 times.Vinyl Chloride -known human cancer causing agent- detected in 2 samples exceeded the EPA Annual Ambient Air Screening Level by as much as 86 times.1,2-Dichloroethane (EDC) -known probable human cancer causing agent- detected in 2 samples exceeded the EPA Annual Ambient Air Screening Level by as much as 3,380 times.Chloroform -known probable human cancer causing agent- detected in a sample was in excess of the EPA Annual Ambient Air Screening Level by 119 times.A total of 20 different toxic chemicals were identified in the five air samples.At least 6 up to 12 VOCs (Volatile Organic Chemicals) and sulphur compounds were detected in each sample, and at least 2 of the toxic chemicals are in excess of one or more health protective standards or screening levels, giving proof the toxic cocktail inhaled in Map Ta Phut.

"The test results prove that residents downwind of the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate are breathing high levels of health threatening chemicals under normal conditions" Tara Buakamsri of Greenpeace Southeast Asia stated.

According to standards set in the developed world, such levels can cause serious illness and injury. If this level of toxic pollution was found to be released by the same corporations in the United States, it would be a serious violation of law. But these companies refuse to provide the basic right to know information about their pollution. They can ignore people’s right to breathe clean air. This is proof of a double standard." added Denny Larson of GCM.

"This is why public accessibility to information in Thailand is needed. People have a basic right to know what is being dumped into our air. We have also brought in the bucket brigade system so the fenceline communities can put the claims of industry to the test. No longer will industrial neighbors have to rely on monitoring by government or industry. They can determine for themselves that there is already too much pollution in places like Ma Ta Phut and say ‘No More! "concluded Penchom Tang of Campaign for Alternative Industry Network.