07/27/10 (LWN-Commentary) Last week, the Dutch company Trafigura was found guilty in court for illegally dumping toxic waste in Ivory Coast four years earlier. It was ordered to pay a large fine.

According to the U.N. and Ivory Coast's government, five-hundred tons of waste were dumped in waters near Abidjan. As a result, a minimum of fifteen people died, and thousands became ill. The waste included such substances as caustic soda and hydrogen sulphide.

Foreign companies have conducted hazardous illegal dumping in other countries' waters as well, such as Somalia. As one would expect, they prefer to carry out illegal dumping in or near nations with minimal capacity to detect and intercept such vessels.

Considering the serious health and environmental harm caused by illegal toxic dumping, those who commit such crimes should face harsh punishment. In general, the law should more effectively respond to profit-motivated crimes that cause death or injury.

Hopefully the ruling against Trafigura will help send a message to European businesses that it is unacceptable to use third world countries as their toxic waste dumping ground.