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BP (British Petroleum) in the McSpotlight
BP
(British Petroleum) in the McSpotlight
| What's Wrong With BP? | Opposition & Campaigns | Company Profile |
| BP
have recently begun to receive critism for many of their activities, the
most recent (August 1997) for their exploration in the Arctic. Greenpeace
have heavily opposed this and were nearly forced into bankruptcy through
an injunction served on them by BP. Like Shell, BP pay the military of another
country to protect their interests which results in the interests of the
local people and environment being trodden on, and often in the deaths of
those who dare to protest.
A leaked Colombian report shows BP paying the military and supplying them with details of peasant, trade union and environmental activists. BP has caused large-scale environmental destruction in Alaska, and is now leading the development of the Atlantic Frontier (a highly sensitive ecosystem and important expansion area for the oil industry. Also questionable developments in Peru and Angola. BP is part of the Oil industry. It is not only the specific practices of individual companies that cause problems. The attitudes created by the currrent system of exploitation gives power and profits to the few, at the expense of people, animals and the environment. It is important to expose the unethical practices of specific companies as their behaviour is often indicative of the entire system. |
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BP operations feature in the Greenpeace Filthy Fifty listand in Friends of the Earth's Secret Polluters list.In February 1991, a 300,000 gallon spill from a BP-charted oil tankerspread for twenty square miles and severely disrupted the enviromentof nearby Huntingdon beach in California. The State of California then drafted new legislation to improve tanker safety and to elicit a $500m spill responce fund to be paid for by the oil companies.This was part of the far-reaching 'Big Green' enviromental proposals defeated in late 1990 by a 3:2 majority. BP spent $171,000 to help oppose the bill. They are now leading the expansion of the Atlantic Frontier which is a highly sensitive ecosystem. [The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping published by the Ethical Consumer Research Association.] |
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BP has been criticised a number of times in the past for its mineral operations on tribal people lands. The company has now pulled out of minerals. It does however continue to search for oil and, along withother companies, it has been criticised for operations in theAmazon, where a number of Indian Reserves have been affected. [The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping published by the Ethical Consumer Research Association.] |
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Supporting brutal / repressive regimes It has been documented that BP gives money to the military in Colombia to protect its interests. A leaked Colombian goverment report showed that BP supplied the military with details of peasant, trade union and environmental activists. The Colombian army is now under investigation for 'human rights abuses and alleged involvment in the death of 6 peasant leaders who protested about the oil'. [The Guardian, 30.6.97] [Corporate Watch Address Book, 1997] |
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Between 1985-9 BP received contracts from the Ministry of Defencefor more than £100 million and is the supplier of strategic and non-civilian products used in weapons systems. [The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping published by the Ethical Consumer Research Association.] |
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In July 1988 the Piper Alpha disaster led to a series of strikes on North Sea oil rigs. Workers wanted union recognition and improved safety rights. BP did not agree and started to recruit non-union labour.In 1989 a number of workers at two BP-owned plants in Brazil were said to be suffering from pulmonary silicosis, as a result of inhaling dust containing silica at the plants.In 1990, two explosions in ten days at BP's Grangemouth refinery cost the lives of three workers and the company £750,000 for breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act. [The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping published by the Ethical Consumer Research Association.] |
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BP has animal testing undertaken by sub-contractors.Through its subsidary BP Nutrition, the company is involved in breeding animals including poultry layers. [The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping published by the Ethical Consumer Research Association.] |
Exploitation and profiteering do not need to exist. A better way of running our lives can be created based on the sharing of resources and on respect for each other and for nature. Increasingly people are questioning and challenging those with power and are seeking alternatives. Let's hope it's possible to make a difference.
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Postal
address(es): British Petroleum Britannic House Moor Lane London EC2Y9BU |
Phone
number(s): +44 (0)171 496 4000 Fax number(s): not known |
Online presence:
Web site(s):www.bp.com Domain name(s): bp.com Other: |
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