STOP ESSO FROM 

1. CREATING A MASSIVE TOXIC DUMP AT CORNER INLET RAMSAR SITE

2. DUMPING 8 OLD RIGS ON THE SEA FLOOR

SCROLL DOWN TO SIGN THE PETITION

PLAN TO BUILD A MASSIVE TOXIC DUMP AT CORNER INLET

Esso is planning to build a massive, toxic, industrial dump in the middle of a United Nations-listed wetland on the eastern side of Corner Inlet on Victoria’s Gippsland Coast.

The plan would see more than a dozen multi-storey “topsides” from decommissioned oil and gas platforms dumped in the middle of the Corner Inlet Ramsar site along with hundreds of thousands of tonnes of other waste material, until it can be slowly broken down and transported away.

Ramsar wetlands stretch in front of, and on each side of, the proposed beachfront site.

According to the oil and gas industry’s own research, the structures will include thousands of tonnes of hazardous radioactive waste, huge amounts of asbestos, oil and other hydrocarbons, as well as mercury, lead and other heavy metals.

PLAN TO DUMP EIGHT TOXIC OIL PLATFORMS INTO BASS STRAIT

Esso has also applied to the federal government to dump the majority of eight oil and methane platforms into the sea close to the Gippsland coast in Victoria.

Esso, which is owned by Woodside and ExxonMobil, wants to remove the topsides of the platforms before cutting the massive pylons, or jackets, and dumping them into the ocean.

They have been found to contain high levels of asbestos, mercury, lead and other heavy metals, as well as thousands of tonnes of hazardous radioactive waste, technically enhanced and worsened in the extraction process.

#RecycleTheRigs

TO:

The Hon Madeleine King MP, Minister for Resources

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for Environment and Water

The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy

The Hon Dr Jim Chalmers, Treasurer

Dear Minsters,

We call on you to stop Esso from building a massive dump and breaking yard in the Corner Inlet Ramsar Site, as well as dumping the remains of eight oil and gas platforms into Bass Strait. 

Instead, we ask you to support the building of one or more industry-funded Australian Rig Recycling Centres, and a fleet of decommissioning ships, so as to facilitate the processing of decommissioned oil and gas assets responsibly.

Esso's plans will result in the pollution of the sea off the coast of East Gippsland, Victoria, with large amounts of toxic materials and hazardous radioactive waste.

It is also a waste of perfectly good steel, which should re-enter the circular economy by being safely removed and recycled in an electric smelter.

We call upon you to force the industry to pay to clean up its own mess, in a manner that is safe for the environment, workers and Traditional Owners.

World-class recycling facilities should be funded by extending the Offshore Petroleum (Laminaria and Corallina Decommissioning Cost Recovery) Levy.

Australian Rig Recycling Centres would:

- Create a new industry, with associated flow-on benefits to small businesses and the community
- Create hundreds of ongoing jobs 
- Safely dispose of legacy offshore fossil fuel assets in a sustainable manner 
- Prevent the dumping of such assets in unsafe, exploitative, and polluting maritime wrecking sites
- Provide ongoing income for housing, health, education and employment for Traditional Owners whose sea country has been disturbed.

They could also provide synergies with the emerging offshore wind industry.

It is a visionary plan that will bring great benefits to Australia and will establish this country as a world-leading servicing region for the offshore oil and gas industry.