Trafigura and Illegal Toxic Waste Dumping
In 2006 Trafigura - A UK based company - contracted a local company to dispose of 400 tons of hazardous waste material in the Cote d'Ivoire. The material was dumped in landfill sites around the capital and has since been implicated in serious health concerns. UK tort litigation on behalf of affected citizens was settled in September 2009 only after significant media involvement. Trafigura did not admit liability.
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal
The internal emails from Trafigura on the processing of oil, the creation of waste products and the disposal of said products.
The special report from the UN special rapporteur on Human Rights with regard to hazardous waste dumping by Trafigura. Discusses the responsibility of Trafigura to the Cote d'Ivoire victims in terms of human rights.
Trafigura's response to the UN report.
The interim independent report on the dumping written by Lord Fraser of Carymyllie on behalf of Trafigura.
Greenpeace summary of the Transfigura scandal and the recent settlement.
Basic summary of the scandal from the Guardian in September reporting on the settlement and the UN-Special rapporteur report on Human Rights.
Basic discussion of the Trafigura oil dumping scandal in relation to other hazardous waste dumping scandals in recent times.
The Minton Report
During the course of the litigation Trafigura commissioned a report into the toxicity of the waste. The report was highly critical of Trafigura, confirming that the waste was highly toxic, likely to be related to health effects and had been processed illegally.
Report into the composition of the toxic waste dumped by Trafigura investigated as part of the Trafigura litigation in the UK. This wikileak report was the subject of a "super-injunction" preventing the existence of the report from being connected with Trafigura by the Guardian newspaper.
Injunction to Super-Injunction
The Minton report was wikileaked in September 2009. Counsel on behalf of Trafigura acted to prevent any association between their client and the report being made public. An injunction was made against the Guardian newspaper preventing any reporting. The injunction was anonymised and made in the equity court under confidence and privacy. The Guardian could not only not report on the Minton report, it could not report on the fact that there was anything to report. This in turn had serious implications for the proceedings of parliament when a related question was raised and on the reporting of parliamentary proceedings.
The Hansard report of the question tabled in Parliament as regards to Trafigura sparking the concerns over press freedom and the impact of a super-injunction on parliamentary business. See points of order 3:32 pm.
The Guardians first reporting of the injunction against it and the implication that it could prevent the reporting of parliamentary proceedings.
The Guardians coverage of the Minton report
The role of internet blogging and new media on press freedom and the feasibility of injunctions.
Further discussion of the implication of the super-injunction.
The recording of the MP debate on the super-injunction, the freedom of the press and the conduct of parliamentary proceedings. Of particular note is the fact that the injunction was written by the legal representatives for Trafigura rather than by the judge. Also an interesting discussion on the possibility of having a register of injunctions.
18 items | 11 visits
Trafigura have been involved in oil dumping in Cote d'Ivoire and have attempted to suppress all publicity of the case in the media through the use of a super-injunction in confidence and privacy law.
Updated on Nov 22, 09
Created on Nov 22, 09
Category: Government & Politics
URL:
