Both Sides of the Story

The environment has become a very sensitive topic recently. Large corporations and multinational companies are constantly under a lot of pressure to conform to environmental laws and to dispose of their factory waste in the most environmentally friendly way possible. Any small non-conformance is easily blown up by the press as what was recently demonstrated in the case of a BP factory in Whiting, Indiana. BP, recently, has come out with their own statement as they claim that they press release in the Chicago Tribune had grossly misrepresented some important facts. As such, they would like to present all the available facts to allow readers to form their own conclusion.

BP’s Whiting Refinery Fact Sheet states that:

• Only treated water from their refinery is released into Lake Michigan and not sludge as claimed. Sludge from the refinery is always dealt with in the proper manner and has never nor will be released into Lake Michigan. The refinery’s average ammonia discharge was also well within the new water discharge permit which allowed an increased level of discharge to be released.
• BP is fully committed to protecting all aquatic and human life under all state and federal laws, regulations and guidelines and will never seek to harm the people or the environment in the course of business. BP is also constantly seeking to improve themselves and has voluntarily reduced total suspended solids in its water discharge by 40% in the past 4 years.
• A planned total of $150 million will be used to enhance the refinery’s wastewater treatment in the modern Whiting plant and BP constantly works together with all levels of regulations, organizations and committees to remain transparent and to develop comprehensive, environmentally sound plans.

More information can be found on the BP Whiting Refinery Fact Sheet. And so, as readers, it is always important to keep an objective view and to know both sides of the story and gather all relevant facts before forming our conclusions.