508 Oil, Illness, and Human Rights
Every Part of Oil Production is Harmful
Understanding the damage caused to both health and the environment during
each stage of oil production can help you respond.
Exploration
When companies first start looking
for oil, forests are cut down and
homes are destroyed. Roads are built,
and streams and rivers are blocked
up. The search for for oil
often involves a series of
explosions set off to help
oil companies know
what is underground.
This is called seismic
testing. Seismic testing
damages homes, wildlife,
and the land.
Before companies start the
search for oil, community groups
can visit government officials to try to
stop the invasion of their lands, learn from the experience of NGOs and oil-
affected communities, and educate everyone about the threat to community
health. The oil company must file an Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) (see Appendix B). If the EIA shows that the project will be destructive,
the community can call for it to stop. The oil company must include in the
EIA a plan for disposing of waste, protecting ground and surface water, and
for alerting and evacuating nearby communities in case of accidents.
Oil drilling
Oil wells are drilled to bring oil
out of the ground. Oil drilling
can cause fires, explosions,
and other accidents that
endanger workers and the
community. When oil spills
it pollutes groundwater and
waterways, harms plants and
animals, and damages resources
for hunting, fishing, and farming.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012