Environmental Protection

Environmental Protection is a core tenet of our resistance.

Westwin Resistance is concerned with the potential environmental destruction from the Westwin refinery. No environmental impact assessment studies have been conducted and Westwin is already breaking ground on their pilot facility. Cobalt is a notoriously polluting industry, with significant pollution occurring across the lifecycle of production. This includes the refining process, with expansive lifecycle studies documenting the pollution from cobalt refineries around the world. 

The Westwin refinery is no exception. In fact, some residents have pointed out that Westwin’s plant is especially risky due to the area’s vulnerability to earthquakes, flooding and tornados – Lawton is located in “Tornado Alley” – making it an especially dangerous site for an experimental refinery. Westwin Resistance also noted the explosion risks of the proposed refinery, which would be the first of its kind in the US, after a recent massive gas pipeline explosion near Elmwood. 

The Westwin Elements refinery is the first of its kind in the country, planned by a new company using new methods. This means there is no way to ensure proper regulation to protect cattle, fish, birds, bees, bison, and any other local livestock and wildlife. Furthermore, the state of Oklahoma is known for its lack of environmental regulation and because the project is the first of its kind, there is insufficient regulation in place.

The full list of dangerous chemicals used at Westwin’s pilot plant refinery will include: Liquid nickel carbonyl, liquid iron carbonyl, liquid cobalt carbonyl, carbon Monoxide (CO), argon gas, diesel (generator), propane (thermal oxidizer), welding gas, nickel powder, mixed hydroxide precipitate (feed material), ethylene glycol and polymetallic residue (left over feed material). There is no indication that Oklahoma state regulators have experience with a project of this nature.

We must protect our environment from this irresponsible and dangerous project.