AP Environmental Science

Toxic waste was illegally dumped off of the Ivory Coast main city Abidjan. Somehow toxic waste on a tanker which was docked at the city’s port excaped and was dumped at 17 different “mostly open-air sites in the lagoon area.” “We have now reached 10 deaths, 102000 (medical) consultations and 70 people have been hospitalized,” according to the helth ministry spokesman Simeon N’Da. Most people who were sick from these toxic wastes were vomiting, and had diarrhea, nosebleeds, and nausea.

The hospitals were packed as residents claimed illness due to the toxic wastes; however, the government supports the position that the numbers are so large because some people just wanted free medicine.

It is still uncertain how the toxic waste was disposed of. Investigations are still underway. The waste was unloaded from the Panamanian-registered Probo Koala which is chartered by Trafigura, a Dutch based oil trader.

The company says that no wrongdoing was committedk, claiming that Tommy, a waste disposal company, was in charge of the slops.

“The company’s director and West Afrcia regional director have been detained in Abidjan and face charges under Ivorian toxic waste and poisoning laws.” As well, the Probo Koala has been impunded in Estonia’s Paldiski port.

At this poing 14 out of the 17 toxic waste sites have been cleaned.

It is really unfortunate that these toxic wastes were disposed of leaving people dead and seriously ill. Whoever did this, whether it was an accident or on purpose, should fess up and take the consequences. I believe whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing because it wasn’t just dumped at one site, it was dumped at 17 sites.

Ivory coast toxic waste death toll rises to 10  BY: Peter Murphy and David Mardiste http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=SA0112&articleID=C22AD21309A726D5666C93E080AC