Quand des intérêts économiques s'opposent aux pollutions. Les normes imposées à la première grande raffinerie de pétrole en Suisse (1959-1963)

When Business Interests Help Regulate Pollution: The Case of Switzerland’s First Major Oil Refinery (1959–1963)

After the construction of a pipeline and the first large oil refinery in Switzerland was announced in early 1959, some neighbours of the future complex became concerned about pollution and demanded guarantees and regulation. Their calls conflicted with the attitude of local authorities, who were very sympathetic to the project and thus reluctant to impose constraints on it. Nevertheless, the conditions finally set in the building permits proved fairly stringent, forcing the developers to relocate one part of the infrastructure in order to release the fumes at a higher altitude. The article highlights the crucial role of federal authorities in bringing about this regulation. It argues that their attitude resulted in no small part from the influence of business groups that feared the competition from the new pipeline and refinery.