The Environment Chronicle

Deaths from pollution and accessible chemicals on the site of the chemical factory Stoltzenberg, Hamburg: The Chemical Factory Dr. Hugo Stoltzenberg (CFS, 1923-1979) was a chemical factory in Hamburg, which, according to its own account, dealt with the production and handling of "Ultragifte". It was known mainly by two events, the so-called Stoltzenberg scandals of 1928 and 1979. The first was triggered by the withdrawal of a poison gas cloud on the company premises in Hamburg, which killed ten people. In the case of the second, three children were involved in the game with chemicals discovered at the company's premises ... (6 September 1979)

A cement factory in Lengerich contaminates the surroundings with the toxic heavy metal Thallium. Agricultural land becomes unusable, trees lose their foliage.

On 28 April 1979, the Liberian oil tanker Gino, transporting 40,000 tonnes of carbon black, a refined oil 1.09 times denser than water, was en route from Port Arthur (Texas) to Le Havre, when she sank off Ushant island after colliding with the Norwegian oil tanker Team Castor in foggy conditions. About 1,000 tonnes of oil were spilled from a damaged tank in the Team Castor. 17 antipollution vessels poured dispersants on the oil slick. The Gino sank 120 metres deep, taking her cargo with her. Despite its viscosity, the carbon black spread into the surrounding water.

A failed valve in the cooling pump for Block 2 of the nuclear power plant at Three Mile Island means that almost no water reaches the core. Half of the 150 t reactor core melts, and large quantities of radioactive water are released (source: Greenpeace).

The "Independenta" loses 95,000 t oil on the Bosphorus.

The "Amoco Cadiz" spills c. 230,000 t crude oil into the Atlantic. The bay of Arcachon in France is particularly affected. Thousands of sea birds and mussel or oyster farms are destroyed and 200 km of the coastline is contaminated.

On 22 April 1977, an oil well blowout occurred at the Ekofisk Bravo platform, due to an incorrectly installed downhole safety valve. The blowout resulted in the first major oil release in the North Sea. At an estimated rate of 1170 barrels per hour, approximately 202,380 barrels of oil escaped before the well was finally capped 7 days later on April 30th.

The "Hawaiian Patriot" loses 95,000 t oil off the coast of Honolulu.

The Argo Merchant ran aground on Fishing Rip (Nantucket Shoals), 29 nautical miles southeast of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts in high winds and ten foot seas. On December 21, the ship broke apart and spilled its entire cargo of 7.7 million gallons of No. 6 fuel oil.

In the northern Italian town of Seveso, c. 2.5 kg dioxins (2,3,7,8 TCDD) escape from a chemicals factory producing TCP, resulting in 183 cases of chloracne, 70,000 animals needing to be destroyed, with uncertain long-term consequences (e.g. cancer).

After several explosions on board, the Spanish ship "Urquiola" strikes a rock off the Spanish coast. 95,000 t oil pollute the bay of La Coruna.

The Jacob Maersk loses 88,000 t oil off the Atlantic coast of Portugal.

On 9 August 1974, the Netherlands tanker Metula ran aground on the Satellite Patch Shoal in the Straits of Magellan, Chile. Approximately 53,000 tons crude oil ran out.

The "Metula" loses 50,000 t oil in the Straits of Magellan between Tierra del Fuego and Chile.

On 19 December 1972 in Oman Sea the South Korean Sea Star supertanker collided with Brazilian tanker Horta Barbosa and spilled about 115000 tons of crude oil into the Gulf of Oman.

The "Wafra" loses 40,000 t oil off the coast of South Africa.

The tanker Othello releases between 60.000 and 100.000 tons of fuel after a collision in bay of Tralhavet , Sweden.

Bleach is accidentally added to a rail truck carrying hydrochloric acid, creating a large cloud of chlorine gas. There are 67 casualties, some with serious respiratory problems.