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Trafigura to Pay Ivory Coast for Toxic Waste Spill

The European energy company, Trafigura, will pay the government of the Ivory Coast $200 million in order to settle claims that it spilled toxic waste in 11 locations of the coast of the Western African nation. The payment is one of the largest fines paid in history for environmental damages in Africa. Claude Dauphin, the president and co-founder of Trafigura, was released from an Ivory Coast prison once the fine was paid, after serving 5 months.

Dauphin, which is Trafigura largest stock-holder, was arrested and charged according to Ivory Coast poisoning and waste disposal laws. About 10 people were killed and tens of thousands more required medical attention due to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and breathing problems, after a ship leased by Trafigura spilled tons of toxic waste off the coast of port city of Abidjan, in August.

"Trafigura and the government of Ivory Coast dismiss any responsibility for the happenings in August emphatically," the company said in a statement. "Of course, Trafigura takes its social role as a player in the world market very seriously and therefore wants to support the government financially in order to offer its citizens a better health situation." Be that is it may, the company still faces a class action suit issued by Leigh Day & Co., a legal practice specializing in injury cases, which is demanding $4,000 be paid to every one of the 4 to 5 thousand individuals, who sustained injury from the poison.