When Europe strengthens legislation against toxic waste a sad side effect is the fact that exporting our poisonous mess to countries with less ability to enforce such legislation. Read the detailed reports of the toxic waste trade and the Panamanian flagged ship, the Probo Koala, in Der Spiegel and Greenpeace.
The Probo Koala scandal deals with a load of highly toxic waste. Discharging it in Europe was too costly. Therefore the company and crew dumped the waste on less regulated shores of West Africa. The result was seven dead and more than 40,000 in need of medical help. The government fell earlier this month as a result of the scandal. (via Other Bhopals).
After dumping its deadly cargo on the poor and unprotected the ship sailed to Europe and recieved a clean bill of health. On monday Greenpeace sailed alongside the ship with their vessel Arctic Sunrise up alongside the tanker in Paldiski, Estonia sprayed the slogan ‘Toxic Trade Kills‘ on the tanker and preventing it from leaving.
(via The Orchid)