November 21, 2009
UTNE READER

Corporate Pirates Strike Somalia

July-August 2009
by Staff, Utne Reader 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

It’s a less sensational (read: sexy) story than piracy, the Ecologist (March 2009) reports, but it’s no less serious: Somalia is a dumping ground for toxic waste from Europe. Field research has “brought to light a whole range of chronic and acute illnesses suffered by Somalis,” including severe birth defects and cancers. The Ecologist notes that Greenpeace broke open the story in 1997, exposing Swiss and Italian companies as brokers in the waste trade and leading to probes by Italy and the United Nations. But the dumping goes on, say aid organizations and U.N. officials, and resolution will be a challenge: The dumping has occurred “in the sea, on the shores, and in the hinterland,” says one U.N. report, and it will be difficult to find all the waste and trace it to its source.

RELATED CONTENT

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

We’d like to know what you think. To comment, please use this form. E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments. First time registrants: You will receive an email confirming your email address. Once you confirm, your comment will be posted. Questions about our comments policy? Click here.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Utne Reader?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save $6!
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Want to gain a fresh perspective? Read stories that matter? Feel optimistic about the future? It's all here! Utne Reader offers provocative writing from diverse perspectives, insightful analysis of art and media, down-to-earth news and in-depth coverage of eye-opening issues that affect your life.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $6 and get 6 issues of Utne Reader for only $29.95 (USA only).

Or Bill Me Later and pay just $36 for 6 issues of Utne Reader!