I refer to your article entitled “Toxic waste made in Malta” (TMIS, 6 June).

I was in Abidjan, the capital of the Ivory Coast, with the United Nations peacekeeping operation when commodities trader Trafigura dumped its toxic waste in August 2006 giving rise not only to a major environmental scandal, but also to general panic among the population, public demonstrations and a virtual state of emergency. Besides the tragedy of lost lives and serious health problems caused by the toxic waste, tens of thousands are still suffering from chronic respiratory tract problems. Fingers were pointed at several high-level political appointees in the administration of the Port of Abidjan and elsewhere. Many tendered their resignation. Others still bear the brunt of the political fall-out. The scandal exacerbated the instability in a country where the social fabric had already been torn apart; a country struggling to overcome a myriad of political problems.  

There have been several studies and reports, all of which come to the same conclusion as the Minton one quoted in your article, viz. that Trafigura used a “cheap and dirty chemical process” to try to reduce the sulphur content of the waste – without success and with proven fatal results. The Minton report concluded that such waste could never have been dumped legally in Europe.

Your article states that a virtual fleet of similar tankers has been engaged in such activity off the coast of Malta this year and that, at the present time, 15 such tankers are anchored off Malta waiting for suitable markets to be identified.  

This begs the question as to what form of control is being exercised to ensure that these tankers perform a “hazardous waste processing” job in full accordance with international norms and standards applicable to highly toxic waste of this type. One hopes that we are not witnessing an international blackout on certain practices despite the existence of specific international treaties and conventions. One must hope that the 15 boats off Malta’s coast are not patiently awaiting another victim in the shape of a country where poverty and greed outweigh honesty and professionalism.

I wonder if the International Criminal Court has been seized with the issue of “Trafigura” and its like.

And, in the meantime, I hope to be enlightened as to what controls are in place in Malta and internationally to prevent the “trafigura” syndrome perpetuating human misery and death.

Margherita Amodeo

TA’ XBIEX