Hazardous Waste and Illegal Dumping
7th March, 2023
World’s chemical industries and nuclear energy plants[22] have already generated millions of tons of hazardous wastes[23]. Industrialized countries generate over 90% of the world’s hazardous wastes (WCED, 1987). The high growth of industries in developed countries was accompanied by an equally high increase in the production of toxic hazardous wastes. But the technological capacity to handle these by-products – wastes, was not developing by the same level. This is the reason why problem of these wastes, particularly nuclear wastes, still remains unsolved. Taking advantage of political instability and high level of corruption but lured by the potential financial gains, poor African nations [24] have been used as the dumping sites for hazardous toxic waste materials from developed countries. In some cases, the income generated from this trade, of importing hazardous waste from the West, have exceeded the GNP of many poor countries. Poverty is the reason of accepting importation of toxic wastes [25] . Bearing the cost of the damage caused by the hazardous wastes, Africa disbenefit the entire attempt of generating revenue to alleviate poverty. This do-or-die method become an alternative solution to the desperate search for revenue for some African countries, which are ill-equipped to dispose these health and environment threatening wastes. Both the exporting and importing counterparts violated international treaties to which most countries in the world are signatories.
SOMALIA – World’s Most Attractive Illegal Hazardous Waste Dumping Site
During the Somali civil war, hazardous wastes were dumped in industrialized countries. In the fall of 1992 reports began to appear in the international media concerning unnamed European firms that were illegally dumping hazardous waste in Somalia [26]. What caused controversy in 1992 were reports of a contract established by European firms with local warlords. The alleged perpetrators were Italian [27] and Swiss firms who entered contracts with Somali warlords and businessmen to dump waste in the country.
Investigations by the UNEP
In a news release statement (Tolba, 1992) by then executive director of the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) situated in Nairobi, Dr. Mustafa Kamal Tolba, it became apparent that the European firms was disposing a hazardous waste in Somalia. The UNEP started to investigate the matter five years later in 1997 and hired Mahdi Geddi Qayad[28] as a team leader (for a period of one month) to carry a field investigation in many areas of Somalia particularly coastal zones. The outcome of the investigation (a report) was not published but an Italian newspaper has succeeded to receive a copy of the report.
Familgia Cristiana – an Italian Newspaper
Familgia Cristiana – an Italian Newspaper, has published several articles about the issue during 1998 (Familgia Cristiana, 1998). Based on the UNEP investigations as well as its own investigation, the newspaper gave relatively a detailed description. Familgia Cristiana (1998c) showed a map over the country particularly areas where wastes have been dumped and pictures taken from places where signs of the dumping could still be seen. According to the newspaper, waste dumping concentrated both in coastal zones and inland areas. Naming several individuals both Somalis and foreigners who involved in the waste transport, the newspaper disclosed many secrets in the business both in terms of deals made and health impacts on local people. In an $80 million contract in late 1991, two Swiss and Italian firms, Achair Partners and Progresso, would be allowed by senior local politicians at the time to build a 10 million ton storage facility for hazardous waste at the rate of 500 000 tons a year. Although the major part of the waste dumping in Somalia occurred after the state collapse in 1991, the activity has started even during the former regime in 1989 (Familgia Cristiana, 1998d).
According to the newspaper, there are ongoing dumping activities inside the country, and Mr. Halifa Omar Darameh of the UNEP said “our concerns are the negative consequences that these dumping can cause in the immediate future, and it is unfortunately impossible to safeguard a long coastline of
3 300 km long”.
Parliamentary Report
In view of these serious waste dumping allegations against the Italian and Swiss firms, the Italian Parliament demanded a study on the issue. A commission has been established. The final report (produced in 2000) of the parliamentary study said the so-called “Eco-Mafia”[29] run companies dealing with 35 million tons of waste a year, making $US 6.6 million. According to the report, radioactive waste from Italy dumped in Somalia may have affected Italian soldiers based there with a UN force in the mid-1990s. The report also disclosed that the Mafia controls about 30 percent of Italy’s waste disposal companies, including toxic waste, according to a parliamentary study.
Why Dumping in Somalia
Several European companies are engaged in the business of dumping industrial and chemical wastes in Somalia. The relevant question is why is it that waste-dealers and importers ignore the long-term effect and obvious dangers associated with illegal dumping of toxic wastes in poor countries. But the more relevant question is why dumping in Somalia? Reasons that made Somalia world’s most attractive waste dumping site are many and below are the most likely ones:
Country’s political situation: Since 1991 Somalia is lacking a central government that can safeguard its long coastlines and large territories. This seems to be the most likely reason that attracted the waste-dealers to use Somalia as a dumping site for the waste generated elsewhere.
The need to find dumping site: Generally, there is a big problem of finding suitable dumping sites within the countries generating these wastes, as there are few areas left there. By finding a cheap site, the high costs of recycling, incinerating and disposing in original country could be avoided. According to a study by American University of Washington (1996), the cost of disposing one ton of hazardous waste in their source of generation was estimated to US$ 3000 and as low as US$ 5 in a developing country [30].
Geographical Location: Located in a very geographically central location, It is easy to reach Somalia. This reduces the cost and the time of waste transport.
Low public awareness about the dumping: During these years local people are in civil war associated social problems, which made them busy in their life affairs. Local media was not so effective. There were also fears of talking about the issue in the media.
Local self-interest individuals: It was easy to establish local contacts (politicians and businessmen) who are ready to allow the dumping of these toxic waste in their home country despite the long-term effects of the dumping on the local people, in only exchange for a relatively enormous amount of money in foreign currency, in a short period of time. This facilitates the disposal process.
Negative Environmental Consequences and Impacts on Related Issues
The effects of hazardous wastes dumped improperly on both human and other environmental components are inestimable. According to the newspaper (Familgia Cristiana, 1998), UNEP investigations and local people, the health effects so far identified are enormous. These include (i) the death of fisherman in the town of Brawe after opening a small container collected from the sea, (ii) the death of several people living the along the coastline who drunk water in a container, (iii) the increase of patients with cancer in Somalia, which were related to the toxicity of the wastes dumped in the country. In addition, a study made by an Algerian expert explained the link between the recent years’ increase in livestock’s death and the toxic waste dumping in the country. Dr. Pirko of the UNICEF said that the town of Bardere experienced unknown disease that caused the death of 120 people after suffering noise bleedings. This was also related to the toxicity. Premature births that occurred were due to the high toxicity of the dumpsite.
However, no research has been carried out on the existing and the potential environmental and social impacts of the waste dumping. The negative long-term impacts are expecting to be huge particularly pollution of the groundwater and fish resources, which will inevitably affect the overall public health and the entire socio-economy of the country.
International Legal Instruments of Hazardous Wastes
The issue of waste dumping in Somalia is twofold in that it is both a moral and legal questions. First, it is ethically questionable to dump a toxic waste [31] in a very poor country in the midst of a protracted civil war with no central government. Being against moral principles, these conducts are beyond humanity and games played on the lives of innocent people. Second, there is a violation of international law in the export of hazardous waste to Somalia. Below are the international and regional laws regulating the waste transport.
The Basel Convention
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements [32] of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal is a broad and significant international treaty on hazardous waste. It was adopted in 1989 and entered into force on May 1992. The Basel Convention, ratified by 135 countries, is the response of the international communities to the problems caused by the ever increasing toxic wastes which are hazardous to people and the environment. Italy and Switzerland, whose private firms have been accused to dump waste in Somalia, are parties to the Convention, while Somalia is not. Regulating the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and providing obligation to its parties to ensure that such wastes are disposed of in an environmentally sound manner, one of the main principles of the Convention is that the hazardous waste should be treated and disposed of as close as possible to their source of generation. In addition, the Basel Convention urges that the generation and movement of hazardous waste should be minimized.
OAU Ban on Waste Transport
Equally important and with more regional significance was the voting of a resolution by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to ban member countries from accepting industrial waste products. Half of members of the OAU are non-signatories of the Basel Convention. Despite the OAU’s attempt to ban such trade, member countries have violated the ban. The reasons for doing so are based on economics; the need to generate substantial amounts of revenue to alleviate the economic hardships faced by Africa.
Source: Somali Centre for Water and Environment
