the right to know, at home and
abroad
friends of the earth united
states
Shortly after
midnight
on
December 3 rd , 1984
, one of the world's worst industrial
disasters unfolded in
Bhopal
,
India
. Over 40
tons of lethal gases leaked from a
pesticide factory owned and operated by an
American company, the Union Carbide
Corporation, now owned by the Dow
Corporation. The streets of
Bhopal
were filled with the
bodies of thousands of victims, many of
whom suffered violent deaths. Today,
thousands of people still live with
debilitating health effects. By some
estimates, the death toll has risen to
16,000 or more.
Doe Run smelter in Peru. Doe Run
is the biggest polluter
in the US state of Missouri,
according to the US Environmental
Protection Agency.
|
In the United States , the Bhopal
accident led to the creation of the
Emergency Planning and Community
Right to Know Act, which was passed
by Congress in 1986. This law
requires corporations to report
important environmental, health and
safety information to the
Environmental Protection Agency,
which is then made available to the
public in a user-friendly database
called the Toxic Release Inventory.
The Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) has
provided citizens, communities and
investors in the United States with
critical information that has led to
significant voluntary reductions of
toxic pollution and other
environmental hazards. For example,
information disclosed under TRI was
used by citizens to convince IBM to
phase out its use of
chlorofluorocarbons – the main
culprit in depleting the ozone layer.
It allowed a group of citizens in
Akron , Ohio to obtain a commitment
from tire manufacturer
BF Goodrich to reduce its toxic
airborne emissions by 70 percent. TRI
also gave communities in Oregon and
Louisiana the information they needed
to successfully enact toxics
reduction statutes.
|
corporate secrecy
overseas
However, American companies operating
abroad are not required to disclose
information that they must reveal when they
operate in the US . This lack of disclosure
has allowed many US multinationals to
conceal irresponsible or disgraceful
behavior, such as treating workers poorly,
destroying the environment, and
collaborating with oppressive governments
that violate human rights.
The International Right to Know (IRTK)
legislative proposal is modeled on the
highly successful US Right to Know
regulatory requirements. Under IRTK,
American companies and companies listed on
any of the US stock exchanges will be
required to disclose key environmental,
labor, and human rights information about
their operations abroad, such as:
-
How much toxic pollution does the
company release into the
environment?
-
What dangerous chemicals are
employees exposed to?
-
Were communities forcibly relocated
to accommodate the company?
-
Has there been sexual harassment or
discrimination in the work place?
-
Does the company use child
labor?
-
Does the company have secret
agreements with security forces such as
foreign militaries?
-
Have there been any serious
emergencies caused by chemical releases
at their facilities?
-
How many of their workers abroad are
covered by collective bargaining
agreements?
Under IRTK, companies will be required
to make annual reports to the US Department
of State. This information will then be
provided to the public through a
consolidated website on the Internet.
Companies that fail to report or make
inaccurate reports could face legal
prosecution in the US as well as criminal
and civil penalties. Likewise, private
citizens and organizations will be able to
file lawsuits against companies for
non-compliance.
An IRTK law would lift the veil of
secrecy surrounding the overseas operations
of American-owned corporations. More
importantly, information disclosed under
IRTK would empower people to more
effectively challenge the harmful impacts
they face, while consumers and investors in
corporations' home countries can choose to
redirect their purchases or investments
away from harmful corporate practices.
more information:
Friends of the Earth US International
Right to Know campaign:
www.foe.org/irtk
.
