Plachimada: Coca cola stores toxic for future generations
“All the samples showed excessive levels of chromium, eight samples showed excessive levels of cadmium and six samples showed excessive levels of lead. The water samples were collected in November 2005,”: The Hazards Centre and the People’s Science Institute report
The Hazards Centre and the People’s Science Institute tested nine water samples within a one kilometer radius of the Coca-Cola bottling plant in the south Indian state of Kerala and concluded that “the total natural water resources surrounding the Coca-Cola plant in Plachimada are contaminated.”
All the water samples, collected from open wells, hand pumps and borewells in the area, failed to meet the safety standards for drinking water prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) - ensuring that the groundwater is no longer suitable for human consumption.
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In addition to the risks posed to the community by the presence of heavy metals in the water, the report also cautioned that cadmium and lead can enter the body easily through the food chain. The report also noted that the community did not experience water quality problems prior to the establishment of the Coca-Cola bottling plant, and that the deep aquifer systems have now been contaminated. The report also notes that agricultural production has been negatively affected in the area. |
The Coca-Cola bottling plant in Plachimada has remained shut down since March 2004, and the Coca-Cola company has challenged the closure in the courts. In spite of the growing body of evidence, the Coca-Cola company continues to maintain that there is no pollution by their plants. Last 4 years they are in indefinite strike infront of the company.
The Coca-Cola company was also distributing its sludge to farmers in the area as fertilizer. Tests conducted in 2003 by the Central Pollution Control Board of India, as well as the British Broadcasting Corporation, confirmed that the sludge contained high levels of cadmium and lead, effectively making it toxic waste. Coca-Cola was forced to stop the distribution of the sludge by government authorities, and ordered to treat the waste as hazardous waste.
The Coca-Cola company has been the target of community campaigns across India accusing the company of creating severe water shortages and pollution around its bottling plants.
In related developments, the Coca-Cola company announced on Tuesday that its sales in India had dropped another 12% in the last quarter, adding to Coca-Cola’s worries in India which it has identified as a key emerging market. Coca-Cola’s sales in India have declined for eight consecutive quarters.
Also on Tuesday, the Coca-Cola company was ejected from the prestigious $8 billion TIAA-CREF Social Choice Account fund. The consultants to TIAA-CREF, KLD Research & Analytics, recommended the move because of the company’s questionable environmental practices in India, labor problems in Colombia, and the continued marketing of soft drinks to children. TIAA-CREF is one of the largest financial services companies in the United States, with over $380 billion in assets.
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Comments
I already blogged on this see Blog censorship: some thoughts
well anivar,
the recent developments in the plachimada the company has won the case and the plant has started it operations.
This is not true. The case is still on supreme court & it is not functioning for past one year. I am very much linked with the plachimda struggle. I dont know from where you got these details
Hey i dont think that the movement of the govt. will stop terrorism, by censoring the blogs. For example i can see my blog via pkblogs.com. Then what the hell the govt. is trying to do. There are lot of things to be done by the blog admin, I mean he should first check the blog and then only then it should be published(Though not practical, but why not take a chance).