Trafigura: A Toxic Journey
- Editor
- Apr 11, 2016
- 1 min read
Summary: This investigative report by Amnesty International chronicles the 2006 Probo Koala toxic waste scandal involving Trafigura. The multinational oil trader generated over 500 cubic meters of toxic waste by performing a banned caustic washing process at sea to clean a dirty petroleum product. After failing to dispose of the waste in five countries, including the Netherlands and Nigeria, Trafigura hired an unqualified local company in Côte d’Ivoire for just $17,000—vastly cheaper than the $620,000 disposal quote in Amsterdam. The waste was illegally dumped in at least 18 locations around Abidjan, causing severe health issues for over 100,000 residents and at least 15 deaths. Amnesty alleges Trafigura withheld details about the waste, obstructing cleanup and medical efforts. Though some financial settlements were made, thousands of victims never received compensation, and no one has been criminally prosecuted for the dumping itself. The report underscores persistent failures in corporate accountability and international justice.
Source: Amnesty International
