Beyond Petroleum, But Still Big on Ammonia and Soot

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BP advertisement from 2004The oil and energy company BP recently received "a permit from the state of Indiana to dump more toxic discharges from its Whiting, Ind., refinery into Lake Michigan," reports Advertising Age. The permit, "which allows BP to dump 54% more ammonia and 35% more suspended solids" in the Great Lake, has "enraged" Chicago officials. Chicago's chief environmental officer remarked, "We'd like to have [BP] live up to their advertising." BP's rebranding as "Beyond Petroleum" has sought to associate the company with environmentally friendly initiatives. AdAge calls BP's move "the cardinal sin of touting an environmentally conscious image in marketing -- the central focus of BP's advertising for the past several years -- and failing to live up to the message." A company spokesman said BP had "started advertising in regional newspapers ... to clear up misconceptions about the issue." BP later said it would not increase its Lake Michigan dumping. Then, the Chicago Tribune reported that BP had requested and received an exemption from stricter soot emission limits.