Global Geographies of Environmental Injustice and Health: A Case Study of Illegal Hazardous Waste Dumping in Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

Global environmental injustice, the unfair distribution of hazardous activities and materials in disadvantaged communities, is increasingly evident in the African continent through transboundary pollution and illegal disposal of hazardous wastes. Studies are needed to uncover the underlying factors that account for these trends and the detrimental health effects in the host communities. This chapter examines a recent incident involving the disposal of hazardous wastes in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. Specifically, in August 2006, hazardous wastes consisting of mercaptans, hydrogen sulfide, phenols, and hydrocarbons were dumped illegally in seventeen locations resulting in approximately fifteen deaths and thousands of injuries. The chapter examines the circumstances under which the incident occurred and the communities that were most affected by the incident. Atmospheric dispersion models are used to delineate the plume footprints of the hazardous releases in Abidjan. The generalized risk zones are then integrated into a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to assess the environmental impacts of exposure and the demographic profile of residents within these high risk zones.