| | A major element in the new round of imperialism is the export of hazard. After the discovery in Koko of 3,800 tonnes of illegally-dumped chemical waste (containing corrosives and carcinogens such as PCBs) the Nigerian authorities seized the vessel Piave while negotiating for the extradition of Gianfranco Raffaelli of the Iruekpen Construction Company which used forged papers to dump the waste. Eventually the waste was returned to Italy aboard the Karen B. Similarly, the arrest of the Vice Consul of the Norwegian Embassy in Guinea after 15,000 tonnes of contaminated ash were dumped on Kassa Island helps highlight dumping of nuclear (Benin, Gabon and the Sudan) and chemical waste (Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea and the Congo) in Africa. The OAU has passed a resolution against dumping, the Ivory Coast has passed laws for prison terms for dumpers, and the UNEP and the OECD are moving to develop global standards for toxic waste. This briefing discussed the options, and includes extracts from the Greenpeace document 'International Trade in Toxic Wastes: Policy and Data Analysis' . |
