POPs IN AFRICA HAZARDOUS WASTE TRADE 1980 - 2000 ... - Arte

talked to the Baden-Wuerttemberg state environment ministry
and met with no opposition. It was not until the German Green
Party published the protocol of a meeting of June 6, 1987, that
the ministry dissociated itself from Blosch and called him
untrustworthy. 1
Scheme: Midco Toxic Waste Incinerator
Date: 1989
Type of Waste: Toxic
Source: North America and Europe
Exporter: Midco (UK)
Pretext/Fate: Incineration
Status: Unclear
In May, 1989, Morocco’s leader, King Hassan II, rejected a plan
by a British-based consortium, Midco, to construct “the largest
toxic waste disposal plant in the world” on the western edge of
the Moroccan Sahara. King Hassan rejected the scheme after a
London newspaper, The Guardian, uncovered and reported the
story on its front page. According to The Guardian, the planned
toxic waste incinerator would burn up to 2,000 metric tons of
North American and European waste each day.
Claude Cornet, who left Midco because he was concerned about
the abilities of Midco and Morocco to handle the waste, was
delighted that the plan had been vetoed. Cornet stated, “There is
a very sensitive Arab summit coming up to discuss the future of
the Sahara, and The Guardian story on this project had caused
the King considerable embarrassment. That is probably why he
has moved so quickly to kill the scheme.” 132
The issue appeared dead until it was raised again by journalists in
the downwind Canary Islands in articles appearing in August
1989. The articles assumed that the plant was still being
planned. 133
Mr. Benyahia from Morocco’s Department of the Environment
told Greenpeace the Midco story was “not true” and promised to
send a written statement which did not arrive so far. 134
Obsolete Pesticides: In Morocco there are altogether 2,265 (2 thousand +) tonnes of
obsolete pesticides stored in unnamed locations. A joint survey
and risk assessment was carried out by a joint US-AID / GTZ
team in 1991. Appraisal of options for disposal has been made,
but were rejected by Morocco.
The following substances were identified, among others: Endrin,
DDT, Dieldrin, Heptachlor, Parathion. 135
131German Green Party and Stuttgarter Zeitung, June 24 and 29, 1988.
132Xinhua English Language News Service, May 2, 1989; The Guardian, (U.K.), May 16, 1989.
133El Diario de las Palmas, August 11, 1989; The Guardian, May 15, 16, 1989.
134 Personal conversation with Andreas Bernstorff, Jan 10, 2001 in Rabat, Morocco)
135 FAO 1999
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