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Viewing cable 06ABIDJAN1004, COTE D'IVOIRE: TOXIC WASTE SCANDAL UNFOLDS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06ABIDJAN1004 2006-09-08 17:44 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Abidjan
VZCZCXRO8707
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHAB #1004 2511744
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081744Z SEP 06 ZDS
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1882
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
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