“Mobil’s environmental ranking a bad joke”

November 22, 2001

Auckland Regional Council chairman Philip Warren says Mobil’s inclusion in a list of New Zealand’s most environmentally responsible companies is a very bad joke.

Mobil was named one of the country’s 20 greenest companies in a survey of environmental responsiveness by Massey University’s Centre for Business and Sustainable development.

“When Mobil had the chance to help make a positive difference to the Auckland environment this year, they not only refused but obstructed others from doing so,” Cr Warren says.

Agreement from all four major oil companies would have secured low sulphur diesel for the Auckland region but Mobil alone refused to give the go ahead, prompting Mr Warren to call for a boycott of Mobil service stations in July.

Cr Warren says fuel quality is a major contributor to Auckland’s air pollution, one of the region’s most significant environmental problems.

“It has serious effects on human health, but that didn’t seem to bother Mobil.”

However Cr Warren says the diesel issue is still very much alive and Mobil has the chance to prove him wrong.

“The oil refinery’s two six week trials to produce lower sulphur diesel have just been completed and have proved that low sulphur diesel can be produced using existing technology. The question is where to now? Mobil has a great opportunity to demonstrate its environmental responsiveness by initiating a voluntary reduction of sulphur in diesel.

“I challenge Mobil to lead the way and really make a difference on this important environmental issue, therefore going some way to become the environmental champion this award presumes them to be.”

ENDS

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