The Trafigura Case – Factsheet
- Editor
- Aug 5, 2015
- 1 min read
Summary: This detailed factsheet recounts the 2006 Probo Koala toxic waste scandal, in which oil trader Trafigura shipped hazardous waste from Amsterdam to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The waste, produced through a banned caustic washing process at sea, was illegally dumped across Abidjan by a local contractor, causing widespread illness and deaths. Reports estimate over 100,000 sought medical help, with at least 15 confirmed fatalities. Legal proceedings spanned multiple countries: settlements were reached in Ivory Coast and the UK, while Dutch courts fined Trafigura €1 million. International legal bodies struggled to fully apply conventions like MARPOL and Basel due to jurisdictional gaps. The UN Human Rights Council criticized Trafigura’s corporate conduct and recommended stronger international waste governance. Trafigura maintained it could not have foreseen the dumping and denied responsibility, even as it faced widespread criticism for misinformation, legal gags, and poor corporate accountability.
Source: Ejolt
