COTE D'IVOIRE: TOXIC WASTE SCANDAL UNFOLDS

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 001004

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D COPY -- MARKING PARA CLASSIFICATION

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV SENV ASEC IV
SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: TOXIC WASTE SCANDAL UNFOLDS

REF: ABIDJAN 997


1. (U) Summary. The illegal dumping of toxic waste at eleven
open-air garbage sites around the city of Abidjan has
reportedly left three people dead and led some 1,500 others
to seek treatment for symptoms of nausea, rashes, fainting,
diarrhea and headaches. The dumping has generated public
protests and led to the resignation of Prime Minister Banny's
government (reftel). End summary.


2. (U) According to press reports, on August 19, 2006, the
Probo Koala, a ship owned by Greek company Prime Marine
Management, based in Russia, flying a Panamanian flag and
chartered by Dutch oil firm Trafigura Beheer BV, docked at
the port of Abidjan at the wharf of the national oil company,
PETROCI, to empty and clean the ship, or "unload slops. 8
PETROCI approved the request after Trafigura had reportedly
indicated the chemical nature of the slops and requested
necessary preparations at the port for removal. A private
local disposal company, Tommy de Raphael Zadi Dacoury, a
subsidiary of the Puma Energy Group, was hired to unload the
slops through WAIBS, a local shipping agent. Over a period
of 48 hours, disposal trucks dumped 528 cubic meters of toxic
waste in eight open-air dumping sites around Abidjan in the
districts of Vridi, Plateau Dokui, Akouedo and into the
lagoon bordering the south side of Abidjan.


3. (U) Both Prime Marine Management and Trafigura claim the
discharge of material from the ship was legal and it was up
to the local company, Tommy, to ensure safe handling of the
waste. In an email dated August 17, a copy of which was
provided to us by the Government of Cote d'Ivoire (GOCI),
Trafigura explicitly states to the Deputy General
Administrator of the Puma Energy Group that the slops on
board are "chemical" and adds: "Please note that slops on
board are a mix of gasoline with caustic soda and high
concentration of Mercaptan Sulfur...please confirm that you
can arrange for removal and disposal of these slops and
obtain proper documentation from slop removal company (sic)
about compliance with local regulations by environmental
administration and customs on disposal of these slops." As
companies involved in unloading slops need prior
authorizations from the Ministry of the Environment, the
Ministry of Transport and the port of Abidjan, it is not
clear how a toxic load could have gained routine disposal
approval.


4. (U) Inhabitants of Plateau-Dokui, Treichville, Marcory,
Koumassi, Port-Bouet, and Vridi phoned the Ivorian
Anti-Pollution Center (CIAPOL),and complained of a
"suffocating odor. 8 CIAPOL ordered the commander of Probo
Koala to hold the ship until further notice so that CIAPOL
could carry out checks and tests on the waste product. In
spite of the order, the ship left Abidjan on August 22.
Samples of the waste tested by both the Ivorian refinery
company, SIR, and CIAPOL reveal that it contained hydrogen
sulfide and organochloride, both poisonous.


5. (U) The Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene has urged
victims to seek treatment at the Treichville Teaching
hospital, the Cocody Teaching hospital, the Yopougon Teaching
hospital and various health centers in the district of
Abidjan.


6. (U) On September 6 the Ambassador received a letter from the
Minister of Planning and Development, urgently requesting
assistance from the international community to definitively
identify the toxic substances, neutralize their effect on the
environment, test those affected for contamination, treat the
victims, and put in place a health and environmental alert
system.


7. (SBU) Comment: Although it occurred several weeks ago,
the controversy over the dumping has only heated up over the
last few days. The public is understandably outraged and
looking to assess blame. The likeliest candidates, several
of whom have been professing their innocence, include the
Director of the Port of Abidjan (an FPI member and close
associate of President Gbagbo),the Governor of the District
of Abidjan (another FPI member),the Minister of
Transportation (leader of the opposition MFA party),the
Minister of Environment (member of the PIT party),and the
Director of Customs. The G-7 opposition parties have issued
a statement denouncing the "irresponsibility of certain
authorities" and calling for an international and independent
inquiry into the affair. The FN have also issued their own
critical, and alarmist, communiqu,.
Hooks