ABSTRACT
On the night of Saturday, 19 August 2006, more than one hundred gallons of toxic waste were dumped in various sites around the coastal city of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The source of the noxious smell and associated illnesses was initially unknown, and panic soon spread throughout the city. Rumours started to circulate that a large ship had brought waste to the city, and that this was the source of the sickness. This 'ship of death' – as it was to become known locally – departed a few days later with the assistance of the port authorities, leaving sixteen people dead and potentially hundreds of thousands poisoned. The continuing impunity enjoyed by Trafigura and the Ivorian state since the dumping is evidenced by the distinct lack of legal reaction or censure from the Ivorian state, foreign states or the international community. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
