Trafigura hoped to make a fortune. Instead they caused a tragedy
- Editor
- Sep 17, 2009
- 1 min read
Updated: Apr 25
Summary: This investigative piece reveals how Trafigura sought profit from purchasing cheap, contaminated fuel known as "coker gasoline" and attempted to clean it using a banned caustic soda process. Internal company emails describe the hazardous waste by-products and Trafigura’s struggle to find a legal and affordable way to dispose of them. After failed attempts in Europe and Tunisia, the toxic sludge was ultimately dumped in Ivory Coast by an ill-equipped local contractor. The waste, containing harmful substances like hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans, led to a public health disaster, with thousands reporting serious illnesses. Despite overwhelming evidence and public backlash, Trafigura denied the toxicity of the waste and attempted to shift blame. It employed expensive PR firms and lawyers to suppress media reports and shape the narrative. Only after the looming threat of email leaks did the company agree to settle with 31,000 Ivorian victims, marking a dramatic collapse of a three-year-long cover-up effort.
Source: The Guardian
