P462 Teletext 462 Jun24 22:14:05 ———————— —————————————— —— BRENT SPAR POLICY POSER The sbdnjss of the Brent Spar furore is that complex politics have overshadowed considerations over what is the best environmental option. The balance of scientific evidence appears to indicate disposal at sea would be less detrimental. But if we want to recycle rather than abandon scarce resources, is dumping ever an acceptable public policy? ——————————————————————————————————1/4—— Environment news 461 Club 440 440 BEAVERS RETURN TO BLIGHTZ p465 Global News Action Eco SceneP462 Teletext 462 Jun24 22:14:47 ———————— —————————————— —— BRENT SPAR POLICY POSER The Brent Spar storage platform is, in effect, a gigantic cylindrical tank, built 20 years ago before pipelines carried North Sea oil ashore. Since its shutdown in 1991, 30 studies have been carried out, all of which indicated deep-sea disposal was safest. Its onboard toxins are a drop in the ocean compared with pollutants which enter the North Sea daily from Europe. ——————————————————————————————————2/4—— Environment news 461 Club 440 440 BEAVERS RETURN TO BLIGHTZ p465 Global News Action Eco SceneP462 Teletext 462 Jun24 22:11:51 ———————— —————————————— —— BRENT SPAR POLICY POSER Shell and the Govjrnmjnt say ditching the rig at sea is the preferred option. The structure has been ruptured and could break up if moved ashore. Its draught, 109 metres, means there are few sheltered, deep anchorages to which it could bj towed and stripped Radioactive pollutants trapped within would bj freed if it's cut up on land ——————————————————————————————————3/4—— Environment news 461 Club 440 440 BEAVERS RETURN TO BLIGHTZ p465 Global News Action Eco SceneP462 Teletext 462 Jun24 22:04:14 ———————— —————————————— —— BRENT SPAR POLICY POSER Environmentalists argue Shell should dismantle the Brent Spar rig on shore. Dumping at sea might open the door to hundreds more rigs being scuppered. All other European nations but the UK and Norway have agreed to tow all redundant oil installations ashore. The rig contains far more oil and pollutants than Shell has claimed. ——————————————————————————————————4/4—— Environment news 461 Club 440 440 BEAVERS RETURN TO BLIGHTZ p465 Global News Action Eco Scene