the toxic truth - Greenpeace

the toxic truth
A heAlth And
environmentAl
disAster
“ Since Saturday 19 August 2006, Côte
d’Ivoire is confronted by a humanitarian and
environmental tragedy following the dumping
of 523m 3 of toxic waste liquids from the
Probo Koala. ”
SAfIAtou BA-NdAw
then Deputy Director of the Office
of the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire 182
Waking up to disaster
On 20 August 2006, people living in and
around Abidjan, particularly those living in the
vicinity of the sites where the toxic waste had
been dumped, noticed an extremely strong
smell. Various individuals described the
smell as “rot, gas and onion”, 183 “a stench
that smells like motor oil or garlic or rotten
petroleum residue,” 184 and “an unbearable
stench”. 185 A doctor living in close proximity
to a prison in the district of Yopougon, where
some of the waste was dumped, stated that
he and his family “had not yet gone to bed,
when we were struck by a heavily sulfurous
chemical smell.” 186
Victims of the toxic waste dumping around Abidjan wait to consult doctors at
the main hospital of Cocody in Abidjan, 7 September 2006. © Greenpeace
If the very strong smell caused concern, the
accompanying physical symptoms triggered
alarm. People living in different parts of
Abidjan consistently described the smell as
“suffocating”, and stated that their eyes,
nose or skin began to sting. 187 One doctor
described the stinging sensation as “if you
had put your hand in chilli and rubbed your
face”. 188 People exposed to the smell also
consistently reported experiencing headaches,
nausea, abdominal pains, diarrhoea and skin
eruptions, amongst other symptoms.
A doctor who had been out of the city at the
time of the dumping but was recalled to help
with the medical response told Amnesty
International:
“ on arriving in the city that day [29 August
2006] 189 I smelled an overpowering odour. I
live in Riviera Palmeraie, an area located near
one of the dumpsites. My immediate concern
was for my children, which is why I went home
first. when I arrived, I noticed that my children
were suffering from ocular irritation, cough and
thoracic pain. the odours were quite simply
oppressive. they burned my throat and caused
abdominal pain. My eyes itched, and I very
quickly began to suffer the same symptoms as
my family. ”
dR A 190
51
Chapter 5