1. GV PAN LaRoche Building, demonstrators gathering outside building 0.09
2. SV PAN Demonstrators in white overalls unloading mock containers with 'Dioxin' printed on in (2 shots) 0.29
3. SV Demonstrators laying down in front of the containers others spraying white powder on them 0.45
4. PAN SCU Demonstrators carrying posters, shouting slogans in front of Hoffmann-LaRoche buildings (2 shots) 1.01
5. SV Demonstrators sitting on dioxin drums, police speaking to them (2 shots) 1.23
InitialsRdeL/SW


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Background: BERNE, SWITZERLAND

There is still no trace of the 41 drums of highly toxic chemical waste from the site of a chemical plant explosion near Seveso. Italy, in 1976. The explosion was followed by the leaking of dioxin gas, one of the most toxic of chemicals, killing animals, poisoning farmland and injuring several people near the factory, owned by the Swiss Company, Hoffmann-LaRoche. the 41 drums of heavily poisoned soil were moved out of Italy in September 1982, but disappeared soon afterwards despite close monitoring of their movements by ecological groups. Hoffmann-LaRoche has said it does not know where the dioxin drums now are. After rumours, that the dioxin had been brought to West Germany, the Bonn government began an investigation, but could find no trace on it. On April 15, a group of Greenpeace environmentalists gathered in front of the Hoffmann-LaRoche headquarters in the Swiss capital Berne to demand explanations. They built up a wall of mock dioxin drums and carried pictures of the dioxin-victims in Seveso. There was no reaction from the company.

Source: SOCIETE SUISSE DE RADIODIFFUSION ET TELEVISION