Environmental group calls for boycott of Esso gas
Last Updated: Friday, November 10, 2000 | 11:59 PM ET
CBC News
A boycott of Imperial Oil's gasoline has been called by the environmental group.
In spite of being reprimanded, Imperial Oil, which sells its gas through Esso outlets, continues to produce Canada's dirtiest gasoline. Friends of the Earth says the boycott was called in an effort to highlight the oil giant's poor track record.
Beatrice Olivastri, of the group says, "We're asking them to send a strong, urgent message to this company that it's time to clean up the sulphur."
Pollution in the atmosphere is a cause for health concerns. Doctors say an increase in cases of asthma can be attributed to the presence of sulphur in the air we breathe.
Dr. Ted Boadway, of the Ontario Medical Association says even people with normal lungs experience a decrease in lung function when they breathe sulphur in the air.
Beatrice Olivastri
- FROM OUR CONSUMERS SECTION: Esso gas the dirtiest in Canada
He adds, "If you're asthmatic you're hyper-reactive, so the airways shrink right down and those asthmatics can get into real serious trouble."
Figures obtained by Friends of the Earth through access to information show sulphur levels in gasoline from various companies:
- Imperial Oil's refinery in Sarnia, Ontario: 737 parts per million, ppm
- Petro Canada's refinery in Oakville, Ontario: 600 ppm
- Irving Oil's refinery in Saint John: 100 ppm
- Shell's Oil's refinery in Scottford, Alberta: 50 ppm or less
None of those numbers break the law right now, but Ottawa has already passed new regulations requiring Canada's refineries to drastically reduce sulphur in gasoline.
Alan Chesworth
The new targets are 150 ppm, between 2002 and 2004, and down to 30 ppm by 2005.
A spokesperson for Imperial Oil says they will meet the new standards in time.
Alan Chesworth says he thinks the suggestion of a boycott is unfair when the company is meeting the current requirements.
