TL: TOXIC ATTACK AGAINST LEBANON TOXICS FROM ITALY REPORT SO: Greenpeace Mediterranean DT: May 1995 Keywords: toxics Mediterranean waste trade Italy / G R E E N P E A C E REPORT WASTE TRADE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN TOXIC ATTACK AGAINST LEBANON CASE ONE: TOXICS FROM ITALY PIC Fouad Hamdan Lebanon Campaign Greenpeace Mediterranean Office Malta, May 1995 This report is dedicated to all victims of the toxic attack against the people of Lebanon. It is also dedicated to the Lebanese scientists Dr Pierre Malychef, Dr Milad Jerjoui and Dr Wilson Rizk. They risked their lives while investigating dumping sites and taking samples in the middle of the war, and they persevered for many years in their work to prevent a scandal from being forgotten. This report was established with the precious help of the scientists mentioned above, committed journalists, justice officials and environmental activists, especially from the Lebanese group Green Line, as well as with the support of government and industrial sources in Lebanon who wished to remain anonymous. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION II. SUMMARY III. TOXIC ATTACK FROM ITALY 1. For a handfull of dollars 2. The merchants of death 3. Deadly toxics 4. Stored, sold, burned, dumped 5. Italian government deceives Lebanese authorities 6. The mysterious ships 7. The Jolly Rosso Myth 8. Italian industrialists, brokers under pressure 9. Barrels appear again in Lebanon 10. Greenpeace takes samples 11. The Lebanese government reopens the case 12. Italian snub 13. Lebanese cover up? 14. Greenpeace demands return to sender IV. SOURCES V. APPENDIX For more information please call * Mario Damato, Coordinator, Greenpeace International, Mediterranean Office, 33, Paula Square, PLA04 Paula, Malta, Tel ++356-803484, Fax ++356-803485. * Fouad Hamdan, Lebanon Campaign and Hamburg-based spokesman for the Mediterranean Office, Greenpeace, Vorsetzten 53, 20450 Hamburg, Germany, Tel ++49-40-31186143 or 31186419, Fax ++49-40-31186141. Attention TV and print editors: You can order Beta-SP shots and color photographs of the Rainbow Warrior's visit to Lebanon and the sampling action at Beirut Port in November 1994 from Fouad Hamdan, Mario Damato or Greenpeace Communications in London (Tel ++44-71-8330600, Fax ++44-71-8376606). I. INTRODUCTION Greenpeace is an international organization dedicated to protecting the Earth and all the life it supports. Greenpeace works to stop the threat of nuclear war, to protect the environment from nuclear and toxic pollution, and to halt the slaughter of whales, dolphins and other endangered animals. Greenpeace has offices in 30 countries. It is are not affiliated to any political party or politicians. It is financed exclusively by contributions from over four million supporters worldwide. Greenpeace launched the campaign on the trade of waste in 1987 in response to the alarming trend of industrialized countries shipping their toxic wastes to developing nations. The Greenpeace "Waste Trade Inventory 1990" reveals that waste traders have attempted to ship more than 163 million tons of wastes around the world since 1986. But They succeeded to export about 10 million tons of toxic waste that often ended up in developing nations. The total number of known shipments reveals just the "tip of the iceberg", the actual figure is probably much higher. Of the 400 million tonnes of waste produced all over the world each year, 98 per cent comes from OECD countries, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Most schemes cynically claim some sort of "recycling", "reuse" or "humanitarian benefit". The OECD, or the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, is a forum of the western industrialized countries to coordinate their economic and social policies. The transfer of waste from wealthy industralized countries to developing nations is a practice which is both inhuman and injust. It constitutes the transfer of a problem from one's own population and dumping it on another country which in most cases is less equipped or even not equipped at all to deal with it. The export of waste is one of the most scandalous way in which industry tries to evade its responsibility. Greenpeace activists have lobbied for a total ban on the trade of all wastes that pollutes the environment. The result was a victory at the Conference of the Parties (or member countries) to the Basel Convention in Geneva on March 25, 1994. The Basel Convention agreed to * immediately prohibit all transboundary movements of hazardous waste destined for final disposal from OECD to non-OECD States. * to phase out by 31 December 1997, and prohibit as of that date, all transboundary movements of hazardous wastes destined for recycling or recovery operations from OECD to non-OECD countrries. The agreement eliminates the loophole to export waste under the guise of recycling, thus beginning a new era to promote waste prevention and clean production. It will will force rich countries to take full responsibility for their waste production problem with no legal possibility to dump it on their neighbours. Greenpeace helped to achieve it. The Basel Convention constitutes a landmark in international affairs in so far as for once the rich countries did not hold the political cards in their hands. The Basel waste export ban was preceded by the unanimous call of the Mediterranean countries made at the 8th Ordinary Meeting of the Barcelona Convention in October 1993 "to actively support the total prohibition of the export and transfer of hazardous wastes to developing countries". The countries also called to adopt a binding protocol for this purpose during the Barcelona Convention meeting scheduled for June 1995. Previous Greenpeace reports said waste traders have been active in the Mediterranean region with Albania, Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey becoming victim targets. In 1994, Greenpeace succeeded to force Germany return 1,500 tonnes of toxic waste from Romania and 790 tonnes of toxics from Albania. Greenpeace warns industrial countries that our vigilance will not waver because toxic waste exports are not due to end officially until December 31, 1997. Greenpeace is committed to uncovering, exposing and ending the full extent of international waste trade. Our waste trade campaigners act as reporters. They use facts proven in court law, accounts and stories that were published in the press, official reports and memos, and conversations with waste traders, journalists, officials, local ecological groups and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The following Greenpeace report aims at serving the goal of prohibiting regional and global waste trade. This report is intended to help grass-roots organisations, environment groups, journalists, environment officials, the police, the courts and politicians in their efforts to stop the dirty business of waste trade. II. SUMMARY The government in Rome deceived Lebanese and Italian public opinion when it said that it returned all 2,411 tonnes of toxic waste illegally exported from Italy to Lebanon in 1987. The coktail of toxics was in about 15,800 barrels and 20 containers. Lebanon was ravaged by a civil war from 1975 until 1990. After a public outrage in Lebanon, the Italian government promised in 1988 to return all the toxics. But only about 5,500 barrels were loaded in at least four ships at Beirut Port in 1988/89. The operation was supervised by Italian experts and the right-wing militia "Lebanese Forces" that was involved in the scandal. The remaining more than 10,000 barrels and the content of the 20 containers remained in Lebanon or were dumped along its shores. Some of the waste was used as fertilizer, pesticide or as so-called raw material to produce paints for furniture and polyurethane for the production of foam mattresses. Some factories were quite unhappy with the quality of the "raw materials" and threw it in household dumps or in valleys. In some cases barrels were emptied and sold to people to use them to store petrol, water or food. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) said in 1990 that barrels "were emptied from their toxic industrial content to be reused by people... They were cleaned with detergents and even painted to hide their origin... They were sold to be reused, out of ignorance, to store food, to be used as waste bins in restaurants and snack bars and ... to store drinking water". Many barrels were burned in the open air. Others were dumped in the sea or in the Kisrwan mountains east of Beirut. Ground water is engandered by the toxics because the Kisrwan mountains are a region of aquifers. Authorities in Italy claimed in 1989 that all the waste was returned on board one ship, the "Jolly Rosso". Italian Ambassador in Lebanon, Mr Carlo Calia, in February 1995 claimed that all the toxic waste was returned in 1988/89. This is a myth. Greenpeace learnt that the three other ships have dumped their deadly cargo in the Mediterranean Sea. One of the ships, the "Yvonne" was sunk. A United Nations General Assembly report to the general-secretary on "Illegal trafic in toxic and dangerous products and wastes", dated July 18, 1989 said: "In July 1988, in Beirut harbour, a cargo flying the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was loaded with barrels containing exhaust gases with a noxios odour. Close by was another ship flying an unidentifiable flag, which undertook to transfer the said barrels onto a third ship, the Yvonne, bearing the Sri Lankan flag. According to available information, the Yvonne was to be sunk with its cargo in the Mediterranean after leaving the harbour." A radio journalist from Famagusta, Cyprus, told Greenpeace in 1989 that he had intercepted a radio conversation between the captain of "Vorais Sporiades" and another unidentified ship. The two captains were discussing about the best place to dump waste. Their position was between 40 and 50 kilometres east of Famagusta close to the Lebanese coastline. The deadly shipment to Lebanon contained a cocktail of toxics. Lebanese scientists established that the toxic waste contained among others: the explosive substance nitrocellulose; outdated adhesives, organophosphoric pesticides, solvents as well as outdated medication; oil residues and highly toxic heavy metals like lead, mercury and cadmium; arsenic; chlorinated substances; PCBs, etc. The scientists even mentioned hundreds of barrels with "sand highly contaminated with highly toxic dioxin that could have orginated from Seveso". An explosion occured in a chemical factory in Seveso in 1976, contaminating a large area of this northern Italian town with dioxin. In November 1994, Greenpeace activists took samples from some barrels found shortly before in the Kisrwan mountains and then stored at Beirut Port. Test results showed that the solid waste contained heavy metals, hydrocarbons from oil residues and chlorinated substances like HCBD, a highly toxic chemical that causes neurological damage and renal necrosis (cells in kidney die), and is a suspected carcinogen. These substances can cause skin and eye irritation, and damage the liver, kidney and reproductive systems. This solid waste could be part of the Italian deal because the toxics from Italy contained similar substances. Greenpeace demands that the Italian government fulfills its 1988 promise and return all the toxic waste still in Lebanon. It has a moral obligation to organize and finance a search for the remaining waste. Contaminated land in Lebanon must be rehabilitated and Lebanese citizens indemnified if proven victims of the waste. The Lebanese government must officially demand from Italy that it fulfills its 1988 promise. The Lebanese government must as soon as possible order a search of all the barrels that were sold in Lebanon for reuse and see to it that their content, if still existing, is confiscated and secured. The waste barrels from Italy are ecological time bombs in Lebanon's soil and waters, and a threat to the population. III. TOXIC ATTACK FROM ITALY 1. FOR A HANDFULL OF DOLLARS The deadly cargo, officially declared as "raw material", was quickly unloaded at Beirut Port and then stored at several places in the Christian enclave East of Beirut. In this summer of 1987, Lebanese authorities did not take notice of the toxic attack because Beirut Port and the enclave were under the control of the right-wing Christian Maronite militia "Lebanese Forces". Lebanon was in a state of war from April 1975 till October 1990. The militia allowed the Czechoslovak ship "Radhost" to enter Beirut Port on September 21, 1987. Officially, the importer of the ship's cargo was the company "Adonis" in Beirut. But Adonis did not exist. The true criminal company was "Arman Nassar Shipping", which is owned by Arman Nassar. He had hammered out a lucrative deal with the Italian firm "Jelly Wax" (Via Romaya 19-21, 200090 Opera, Milan, Italy). A document signed by Roger Michel Haddad, an employee working on behalf of "Arman Nassar Shipping", cynically declared the waste as "raw material for industrial production and for agriculture". The waste was in about "15,800 barrels and 20 containers", the International Organisation Organisation (IMO) said in a report written on November 29, 1990. Greenpeace could not establish whether a part of these 16,000 barrels were in 20 containers that were also unloaded from the "Radhost" or whether an additional number of waste was transported in these containers. The "Radhost" brought its deadly cargo to Beirut in several shipments. "Jelly Wax" first shipped the waste to Venezuela, but authorities rejected it. The barrels were then diverted to Lebanon. The deal became public when a lawyer of "Ecolife SAS" on February 18, 1988, asked Lebanon's consul in Milan, Adib Alameddine, to confirm the authenticity a document issued by "Adonis" to "Jelly Wax". This document claimed that "all the 2,411.318 tons of industrial waste unloaded from the ship Radhost were destroyed as of October 10, 1987. Parts of the load was turned into ashes and parts of it was thrown in the sewage system". The document had a stamp saying "Adonis Productions Engineering, Riad al-Solh St. - Sehnavi Blg. 36/1, P.O Box 33-216 - Beirut" and a signature that cannot be decifered. It also had an official stamp with a cedar that looked like a pine tree and the words with spelling mistakes "Republiche libanes 1987". All official Lebanese stamps have a cedar. Consul Alameddine realized the document was forged, and he alarmed the Lebanese Foreign Ministry on March 22, 1988. Details about the early phase of the deal can be read in a Lebanese Army Secret Service "Report About Environment Crimes (Waste Barrels)". It was written on January 30, 1995, and leaked to the Lebanese media a month later. The report said a total of 27 persons in Lebanon were involved in the scandal, among them nine who in early 1995 were employees at the Lebanese Environment Ministry. Two of these were advisors to Environment Minister Samir Moqbel: Dr C‚sar Nasr and Dr Jamil Rima. Another person said to be involved in the deal is the former "Lebanese Forces" member Tamir Mussa, who had worked for the militia's "Social Fund" that financed social activities. Mussa is currently an advisor to Lebanese Finance Minister Fouad al-Seniora. "In order to secure the entry of the ship into the port's fifth basin, the approval of the militia controlling the site was necessary. Arman Nassar, his partner Antoine al-Amm and his unofficial partner Jihad Saade contacted the National Fund of the now disbanded Lebanese Forces, represented by the Fund's head George Antun and his employee Tamir Mussa. Both promised to cover up the operation and help the entry of the waste barrels," the army report said. When the Lebanese media uncovered the deal in June 1988, the "Lebanese Forces" tried to deceive public opinion and cover up its direct involvement in the case. Antoine al-Amm and George Antun "agreed to produce forged laboratory reports to shut up the press", the army report said. "These reports were made with the help of the Fund's so-called Customs Unit at the Industrial Laboratory and the Hospital Lamartine. And in an another attempt to cover-up the case they agreed ... to fine Roger Haddad 30,000 dollars because of his fake statement on the quality of the cargo..." "Samir Tawile, a former member of the dissolved Lebanese Forces, on June 20, 1988, informed Arman Nassar that the media uncovered the deal and not the Lebanese Forces. In an early stage, the Lebanese Forces defended the deal and took part in attempts to stress, with the help of laboratory tests, that the waste is fine," the army report added. Regarding the ammount of money paid by "Jelly wax" to their Lebanese partners, Judge George Ghantous in Beirut said "Jelly Wax" agreed to pay "Arman Nassar Shipping" 22 Million Dollarsthe (al-Mostaqbal, July 1988/al-Wasat 13.2.1995). The leftist media and radios said the "Lebanese Forces" received 12 million dollars from Arman Nassar (AP, 14.11.88). Other sources said 12 Million dollars were paid to the importer, who gave a large sum to the "National Fund" of the "Lebanese Forces" militia. State prosecutor Joseph Fraiha said in 1988 that the Lebanese shipping company involved received 500,000 Dollars from "Jelly Wax". (SZ/dpa 14.6.88) The Lebanese Army report said: "50 per cent of the sum would be paid when the cargo is delivered and the remaining 50 per cent after receiving the papers declaring that the waste was destroyed or dumped in a proper way." The army report did not say how much money was paid. Another lebanese company, "Contracting Commercial Services" (CCS), was said to be also involved in the scandal. Lebanese State Prosecutor Dr Munif Hamdan said in a 1988 report that he ordered an investigation to find out the name of the employee working at the Lebanese Chambre of Commerce and Industry who gave CCS the official approval to import toxic waste. However, Lebanese parliamentary deputy Samir Aoun in 1995 revealed more details about CCS. He said that an Italian company offered a Lebanese called Roy Khoury to import toxic waste from Italy. Khoury refused. But Jihad Saade, the man mentionned in the army report as having been involved in the scandal mentionned above, learnt about this offer. Saade informed Tamir Mussa from the militia's "National Fund" about this offer. Mussa then arranged a meeting between Saade and George Antun, the head of the militia's fund, Aoun said. Antun and Saade agreed to accept the Italian offer. Saade then set up CCS to import industrial waste and registered it at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The registration certificate of CCS, Nr. 13935, date 4.12.1987, reads: "The Chamber of Industry and Commerce certifies that CCS ... deals with commerce in general, import-export, and mainly with the commerce of chemical products and industrial waste" (see annex). The Italian offer involved about 300,000 tonnes of waste. The Italians had offered 250 dollars per tonne, meaning a total of 75 million dollars. Antun and Saade agreed that 80 per cent on the cash go to the fund via Tamir Mussa, 10 per cent to Saade and 10 per cent to Khoury, according to MP Samir Aoun. But the deal was cancelled because the waste scandal involving "Nassar Shipping" and the "Lebanese Forces" became public. Nevertheless CCS was then asked by the militia to dump parts of the barrels imported by "Nassar Shipping" at the quarry of Shan-Nair. Jihad Saade personally supervised this operation. Workers emptied barrels and dumped them in a hole, the empty barrels were then sold for 5 dollars each. Saade also bought a piece of land in Laqluq in the Kisrwan mountains to dump more barrels there if needed, Aoun charged. The MP said he could prove all his charges with documents he has, and he said that he gave all his info to Lebanese authorities (an-Nahar 7.3.19995 and 8.3.1995; as-Safir 8.3.95). Two of the empty barrels sold by Saade could have found their way into the home of Mr Soleiman Ibrahim and his family in the village of Takrit, Akkar area. Ibrahim told reporters of the Lebanese daily an-Nahar that he bought two two barrels in 1990. He washed them and has been using them since then to store petrol for heating. The an-Nahar reporter decifered on the two barrels: "Toluol - Diisconate de tolyene" (an-Nahar 6.3.95). The daily said people in Lebanon used empty barrels to store water, grains and petrol for heating. 2. THE MERCHANTS OF DEATH When news broke about the toxics from Italy, authorities in Lebanon opened an investigation. Prosecutor Dr. Munif Hamdan wrote about the results of his investigation in an official report to the Lebanese government on June 26, 1988. He said that Antoine Milad Kamid (born 1941), Roger Michel Haddad (b. 1948), Sami Bulos Nassar (b. 1943), Henri Shikreddine Abdallah (b. 1927), Antoine Asaad al-Amm (b. 1947) and Dumit Yussef Kamid (b. 1951) have been detained and interrogated. The investigation showed that these six: * together with other people illegally imported harmful and toxic waste to Lebanon, * forged documents, * forged sampling reports, * forged official documents and stamps, * sold parts of the shipment although they knew that it spreads illnesses and pollutes the environment * took into account the threat of mass poisoning of citizens, that is a mass killing. The prosecutor spoke of "an environmental disaster", and he said the accused were personally responsible for importing the deadly cargo from Italy. He demanded that the six accused be sentenced to death for attempting mass killing. "We also demand that Arman Nassar, who is on the run, be arrested," he wrote. "Italian companies are partly responsible... The presidents and executive board members of Jelly Wax and Ecolife must be brought to Lebanon for interrogation. Arrest warrants should be issued against them. The two companies should be made liable for the danger they have caused to the Lebanese," he added. Despite the charges raised against the six accused, they were released on bail after a short detention. No legal steps were taken against them. Lebanon during this final stage of the civil war fell in a state of anarchy. Fighting flared up again between different factions, mainly in the area controlled by the "Lebanese Forces". During this period of anarchy, police and justice in Lebanon were in no position to enforce law. Prosecutor Hamdan made his "judicial decision" after studying reports from scientists and an article in the Lebanese weekly "Magazine", dated April 4, 1988, saying: "Two boats were allowed, according to industrial sources, to dump waste containing lead off the Lebanese coast, one boat off Tripoli and one boat off Jieh". Many barrels from Italy contained highly toxic heavy metals like lead. After the end of the war, the case was reopened and an investigation took place. Prosecutor Labib Zwein then wrote a "judicial decision" dated March 2, 1992. Mr. Zwein decided that the seven persons directly involved in the case could not face trial because their acts were crimes of war covered by the general amnesty law of July 8, 1991. But Arman Nassar and the legal representative of "Jelly Wax" in Lebanon, Paul Sagio, were to be charged only for committing a "minor delict". This report was leaked to the Lebanese media in 1994. 3. DEADLY TOXICS In Lebanon, authorities set up in 1988 a committee of scientists to take samples and determine the quality of the waste. Committee members Dr. Milad Jarjoui, Dr. Wilson Rizk and Dr. Pierre Malychef were assisted by Italian expert Dr. Gustavo Umberto Fortunati. The "Lebanese Forces", under public pressure to get rid of the waste, allowed these experts to take samples from only a limited number of barrels. The Lebanese scientists said in a short report published in 1994 that "15,800 barrels and 20 containers" entered Lebanon in 1987. In their first official report written on July 15, 1988, the scientists said the waste was "100 per cent toxic". It consited of outdated solvents and paints, waste from chemical laboratories, outdated medication, hydrocarbons (oil residues), heavy metals, etc. The samples they took contained: "Nitrocellulose or fulmicoton (a highly explosive substance), Polyorethanes, Cynures, heavy metals (Cd (Cn)2, Hg (Cn)2, Ag Cn, Cadmium, sand mixed with dioxins (40 parts per million) that could be part of the contaminated sand from Seveso, dicofol (un defiolant??), tricofol, herbicides, StyrŠne, Plyur‚tane, chlorure de m‚thylene, isocyanate de methyle (pesticide), Polychlorobiphenyl (PCB), cynures, chromate de plomb." The team said the waste they could reach - the barrels were on top of each other - was not radioactive. But they could not measure beta and alpha rays. They asked that the waste be collected carefully and stored in a safe way before being shipped out of the country because Lebanon did not have any capacity to treat such waste. "The Italian expert told us that the barrels contain toxic industrial waste that is outdated and polluting. It cannot be used in any way," the report read. In a meeting in 1988 between Lebanese Health Minister Joseph al-Hashem, the Lebanese scientists and Dr. Fortunati, said: "We all agreed that the waste is highly toxic and could not be used under any circumstance." Malychef said the barrels they saw were all either marked with an "R" (Italian: Rifiuti, meaning waste) or with a diamond with the word "poison", along with the recommendations that the substances should under no circomstances be inhaled. All containers were marked with the symbol "Danger - Do not swallow". The list of toxics written by the Lebanese scientists: CHEMICALS TONNES BARRELS PERCENTAGE 1. Outaded varnish, most of 506.92 2,535 21.3 it nitrocellulose, an explosive substance. 2. Waste from plastics, 336.86 1,685 14,2 poisonous industrial substances, polyuretanes, Isocyanates, polyals. It is to be noted that isocyanates de methyl caused the death of thousands of people in Bophal, India, in 1984. 3. Outdated and toxic 257.04 1,285 10.09 adhisives banned in Italy and Europe, harms children 4. Outdated solvents 218.47 1,093 9.2 used to clean machines (Xelene) 5. Waste from research 186.35 932 7.8 laboratories. Very dangerous new medication that proved useless, outdated medication. 6. Hydrocarbons: waste of 148.49 743 6.2 petrol products from oil tanks Carcinogen. 7. Chemical waste from the 118.77 594 5.2 production of medication, outdated medication, outdated sterilization products. 8. Waste from electro- 102.50 513 4.3 production, highly toxic cynures, salts and heavy metals, Ag, CN, Hg (CN)2, Cd (CN)2. 9. Waste from lubricants, 60.91 305 2.5 Toxic and outdated paints containing Polychloro- byph‚nyle (PCB). 10. Sand used to clean 59.14 296 2.5 industrial waste contaminated with highly toxic dioxin. The scientist's report said the sand "could have been used in Seveso". 11. Sand contaminated with 56.68 285 2.4 dioxin "that could have the similar quality as contaminated sand that was removed from the Italian city of Seveso, that was hit by a disaster in 1976 when a factory exploded..." 12. Waste from the production 48.92 245 2.0 of highly toxic organophosphoric pesticides, Dicofol, Tricofol (containing 40 parts of dioxin per million parts of Tricofol); barrels containing Tricofol also contained a mixture of pesticides. Dicofol 2.4 D (acide 2.4 Dichloro- ph‚noxy ac‚tique), etc. 13. Wastes from acids used 47.58 238 2.0 to remove heavy metals like cadmium and lead. 14. Lubricants contaminated 226.98 1,135 9.5 with dioxine and PCB TOTAL of waste inspected: 2375.60 11,884 The content of the remaining barrels could not be established. Italian expert Gustavo Umberto Dr. Fortunati said "many more" barrels exit, in addition to the ones mentionned by the Lebanese scientists. The Lebanese government must find them, he said (L'Orient-Le Jour 22.6.1988). Former Lebanese ambassador to Lebanon, Mr Antonio Mancini, informed on June 23, 1988, Lebanese Health Minister Joseph al-Hashem about the content of the toxics. At first, one believes that his list with 14 points is similar to the one written by the Lebanese scientists. But he Mancini's list does not mention the sand contaminated with dioxin, the organophosphoroc pestivides and other highly toxic heavy metals. Mancini writes that the waste did not include "dioxin, which is not allowed to be produced in Italy, and explosive substances". It is to be noted that dioxins are never produced. Dioxins come up when chlorine or products with chlorine, such as the plastic PVC, is burned. Mancini's list mentions the quantity of waste in tons and the percentage. The number of barrels is missing (see annex). The Lebanese Army charged that the "Lebanese Forces" have put aside many chemicals that could be used for the production of chemical weapons. These barrels, that were stored in Shan-Nair, have "disappeared". "It was learned that the disbanded Lebanese Forces kept chemical weapons." "All the industrial waste is 100 per cent polluted and cannot be used under any circomstance. The Italian expert agreed that the substance dicofol contained 40 parts of dioxin per million parts of dicofol," the army report said. The scientists quoted the Italian expert, Dr. Fortunati, as saying that all barrels must be stored properly, and they must be transported back to Italy. Aquifers as well as ground water should be monitored, samples should taken and tested, the report said. Another source giving details about the content of the toxics from Italy was a letter written by the former head of Lebanon's "Council for Development and Reconstruction" (CDR), Malek Salam on June 20, 1990. In this letter to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) representative in Beirut, George Abu Jawdeh, Salem responds to a UNDP proposal for assistance in the field of "hazardous wastes: clean-up in Lebanon". Salem writes about a cocktail of toxic waste in "15,800 barrels and 20 containers": - "Pesticides: dicofol, tricofol, - Halogenated cynides of heavy metals:As, Cd, Co, Hg, Pb, Ta, Se, ... - Polluted organic solvents: Toluene, Xylene, Polyol, Polyuritane, Inks, Asbestos, - Carcenogenic compounds: Plychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), plychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin, plycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), halogenated phenolic compounds, - Rejected and contaminated pharmaceuticals, biocides and plyto-pharmaceutical coumpounds, - Wastes of an explosive nature, nitrocellulose... - Varnish, paints of heavy metals - Waste of chemical weapons... - Contaminated and disposed protective gears." The quotes from the letter are in original English, including spelling mistakes. Dr Malychef said in an interview that the deadly cargo from Italy contained: * "Nitrocellulose, an explosive. * Acidic substances and caustic salts from galvanoplastic baths with a high content of cynide and heavy metals. * Polychlorobiphenyl (PCB), which when burned gives off dioxins. * Oil residues similar to pyralenes in transformers or cooling circuits. * Hundreds of barrels of Styrene, methyl styrene, mixtures of toluene xylene, polyol and methyl chloride solvents, anionic detregents, all contaminated and impure. * Some containers filled with absorbant products used in decontamination operations, e.g. calcium silicates, crushed pumice stone, coal in powder form, asbestos. * Dozens of pairs of boots and gloves, caps, overalls, picks, hammers, etc, all looking very dirty and contaminated, abandoned by men who were working, as we suppose, in an environment which was either radioactive or saturated with dioxins or other equally dangerous products". The International Maritime Organisations (IMO) mentioned in 1990 aslo a list of toxics (see annex). Selim Hoss, then Lebanese Prime Minister, told patliament in July 1998 that the waste from Italy was "very toxic" and "endangered Lebanon", according to a report written by Mr Ahmad Hamza from the World Health Organisation (WHO). All reports and information about the toxicity of the waste contradicted early statements by the "Lebanese Forces". C‚sar Nasr, who was in 1988 the head of the militia's so-called foreign department, claimed that "90 per cent of the chemicals could be recycled". The "Lebanese Forces" also claimed that the French "Institut Pasteur" said the chemicals were not toxic. 4. STORED, SOLD, BURNED, DUMPED Greenpeace gathered information about the fate of the toxic waste that was not returned to Italy. This information is based on reports written by Lebanese authorities (judicial reports in 1988 and in 1992, Lebanese Army report 1995), ecological groups, scientists and press reports: Parts of the toxic waste was used as fertilizers, pesticides or as raw material to produce paints for furniture and polyurethane for the production of foam mattresses. Some factories were quite unhappy with the quality of the "raw materials" and threw it in household dumps, in valleys or simply burned it in the open air. Lebanese scientist Dr Wilson Rizk said some 10,000 barrels remained in Lebanon's soil and waters. Some of the barrels were emptied and used by households to store food or water (An-Nahar 11.2.1995). In the "judicial decision" of state prosecutor Labib Zwein on March 2, 1992, one can read that some of the waste was sold and reused. It also says that barrels were dumped and burned. The army report said: "Some of the waste was used in the industry, apparently with negative results. Many of these industrialists then tried to get rid of it by any means." The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) said in 1990 that barrels "were emptied from their toxic industrial content to be reused by people... They were cleaned with detergents and even painted to hide their origin... They were sold to be reused, out of ignorance, to store food, to be used as waste bins in restaurants and snack bars and ... to store drinking water". Dr. Malychef: "Barrels, rehabilitated by analysis reports ... were resold at highly competitive prices to a number of factories not very particular about the excellence of their products... In May 1988, a number of barrels were knocked over at a retail sale in the open air at Shan-Nair depot, emitting a suffocating odour.(Revue Du Liban, 30.7.1988)" Sami Nassar, the owner of a steel factory, told the daily an-Nahar (10.2.1995) that he bought "raw material" from Antoine al-Amm, but he returned them to him when he realized that the quality was bad. Dr Malychef said that methyl isocyanate compounds were wrongly recommended for the perfume industry. "This is in fact a poison which, when inhaled, may lead to an extremely high level of hypertension. At Union Carbide (Bophal/India) the cooling system of a vat broke down, the same product evaporated and killed thousands of people. I almost learnt this the hard way when I inhaled vapour from a contaminated barrel of a mixture of polyurethane and isocyanate which depolymerized," he said (Revue du Liban, 30.7.1988). FORMER STORAGE SITES: * Factories and former storage places in Rmail, Adma, Yasuh al-Malik, Jeita, quarry of Shan-Nair (Lebanese scientists Dr. Wilson Rizk, Dr. Milad Jarjhoui, Dr. Pierre Malychef/Green Line). * 4,000 barrels in Zuk Mosbeh at the storage place of Henri Abdallah in Suk Mosbeh (army Report). The daily an-Nahar published on February 9, 1995, a bill sent by "Euro-Mediterranean Shipping Services SARL to Mr. Dumit Kamid" regarding "storing 4,000 barrels, about 800 tonnes of different chemical and industrial substances stored at our storage in Zuk Mosbeh on 10.10.1987". A Letter of intent between Dumit Kamid and this company, dated 10.10.1987, also confirms the deal (see annex). It is to be noted that a factory for the production of "polyurethane foam and mattresses, sponges and nylon bags" is owned by a Mr Henri Abdallah in Zuk Mosbeh (registration number at Baabda: 2997). * 800 barrels in Yasuh al-Malik (scientists' report/Green Line). * 2,000 barrels at the storage place of Samir Rokaz Nassar in Mahallat Nahr al-Maut (army report and report of Prosecutor Dr. Munif Hamdan). * Barrels stored or dumped between the Zuk power plant and Nahr al-Kalb (Dr. Milad Jarjoui in al-Wasat, 13.2.1995). * 7,000 barrels and 18 containers stored in Shan-Nair, later partly sold, burned, or transported to Beirut Port for planned shipment to Italy. * Barrels with chemicals that could be used for the production of chemical weapons and that were stored in Shan-Nair have "disappeared", and hidden at an unknown place by the Lebanese Forces (army report). DUMPING SITES: * CDR President Salem wrote to the UNDP that barrels were dumped in: Beirut area and harbour (berth Nr. 5), Qarantina, Burj Hammud, Daura and its sea shores. Kisrwan area: Shan-Nair, Sahel Alma, Zuk Mosbeh, Jeita, Nahr al-Kalb and Zuk sea shores. * 500 barrels buried under sand and rocks in the quarry of Shan-Nair between Shan-Nair and Sahel Alma (Jarjoui in al-Wasat 13.2.1995). The Army report mentions "many barrels burned and dumped" in Shan-Nair under the supervision of "Lebanese Forces" member George Kassab, a former MP. * 1,600 barrels destroyed in Qarantina (an-Nahar 30.1.1995/Army Report). * 2,000 barrels burned in the waste dump of Burj Hammud, east of Beirut (army report). * A number of barrels in the Normandie waste dump, Beirut coastline (Judicial Decision of Mr. Labib Zwein). * Sami Bulos Nassar, owner of "Nassar Steel Factory" in Rumieh east of Beirut, melted many barrels "to eradicate signs of the crime", accordiung to the Army report (An-Nahar 10.2.1995). * Waste found in rusty barrels in Nahayleh and al-Miiri areas in Uyun al-Siman, Kisrwan mountains. (Al-Hayat 17.9.1994 and as-Safir 23.9.1994). The content was put in new barrels and then stored in a container at Beirut Port. Greenpeace later analysed parts of it and results showed that this toxic waste could be part of the Italian deal (see below). POSSIBLE SITES OF DUMPED WASTE: * Lebanese Prosecutor Said Mirza in 1995 ordered testing samples from 72 barrels found in Antelias and 6 barrels found in Bteghrin (an-Nahar 7.2.1995). The 72 barrels in Antelias, east of Beirut, were dumped adjacant to a "AG Liban" gasoline station 200 metres near the Environment Ministry. An-Nahar quoted "reliable scientific sources" as saying that Roger Haddad is the owner of these barrels (An-Nahar 20.2.1995). * Abdallah Zakhia from the Environment Committee of the Lebanese Association for Human Rights in early March 1995 informed the authorities about 11 barrels dumped in the Bilat Jbeil area near an old factory. Ten days later the barrels were still there (as-Safir 8.3.1995). * Barrels found in Halat near Mar-Yussef Church (an-Nahar 30.1.1995). * One barrel found in Shan-Nair. A team of German scientists invited to Lebanon by the Environment Ministry took a sample from it and tested it. * Two empty barrels found with Mr Soleiman Ibrahim and his family in the village of Takrit, Akkar area. Ibrahim said he bought the two barrels in 1990, washed them and used them to store petrol for heating. On the two barrels a reporter decifered "Toluol -Diisconate de tolyene" (an-Nahar 6.3.95). * Twelve barrels found in Bshililli, Jbeil area (an-Nahar 9.3.95). * Eleven barrels found in Wata Alban near the vilage of Blat, Jbail area. They were all rusty. On one was writtten: "Pliabrae - significant component - tricresyl phosphate - substances nosives par injestion ou par contact avec la peau". Police took samples and gave them to the Environment Ministry (an-Nahar 10.3.1995). * 35 barrels found in Abu Ali River near Tripoli (An-Nahar 3.2.1995). ACCIDENT: An accident happened in June 1988 when the Lebanese Forces were transporting the waste. Toxic waste fell from a truck on the raod near Ghazir, state prosecutor Joseph Fraiha said. An area was contaminated. (SZ/dpa 14.6.88) POSSIBLE VICTIMS: The summer of 1988 remained in the memory of the Lebanese as a period when authorities banned people from bathing in the sea after barrels were washed ashore. This led to the closure of many private beaches. In 1988 Mr. Joseph al-Bouari, the owner of the private beach "St Paul" in al-Safra, lodged a claim against a criminal offense committed by unknown persons. Al-Bouari wrote: "Unknown persons threw barrels with toxic waste in the sea, forcing authorities to ... forbid bathing in the sea". He asked that the culprits be found and "fined 50 million Lebanese pounds as a compensation for the closure of touristic sites" (an-Nahar 24.2.1995). The following info about possible victims of the toxic waste from Italy was available to Greenpeace: * Ten people injured and one killed in Ghazir in 1988 (an-Nahar 30.1.1995). * Abdeh al-Hajj, who worked at the Shan-Nair waste storage place, was told he could use some of the waste to shave his beard. He died after using it, the army report said. * During a sampling operation carried out by Dr Pierre Malychef in 1988, a drop from one barrel containing a mixture of pesticide and defoliant, comprising up to 40 parts per million of dioxin, fell on his neck. "I washed it off immediately, but chloric acne nevertheless appeared on the spot. Six weeks later it had developed into skin cancer which Dr Maurice Imad removed by electrocoagulation," he said. Dr Malychef said he had been taken ill while inspecting other barrels of toxic waste. "I was inspecting suspicious containers when I felt a strong burning sensation in the face and eyes and then a shortness of breath," he said in hospital after the incident. Doctors have told him his blood pressure was dangerously low (RTR 2.7.88) * Lebanese MP Mansur al-Bun said in 1995: "The inhabitants of Kisrwan are threatened more than others by the danger emanating from the barrels. Some cases of poisoning, due to the leakage of substances into ground water, was registrated in al-Oqaibeh lately" (an-Nahar 28.1.1995). * Goats died in Uyun al-Siman after drinking polluted water. MP Saud Rufail from the town of Baalbeck said 400 goats died in December 1994. He said a physician told him the goats died from poisoning. The goat owners said their animals drank water polluted by barrels containing white powder. Rufail said: "The militias digged trenches during the war, and barrels were dumped in trenches and then covered with sand. Water mixed with the waste" (An-Nahar 10.12.1994). The Ministry of Water Resources and Electricity later said samples taken from the site where the goats drank water - the region of Mazraat Mshayyek above Hadath-Baalbeck - were analysed by the French company "Lyonnaise des Eaux". The results showed that the "toxic samples" contained "highly toxic waste from paint production", that is "derivatives of the colorants dimethylaneline and trimethyloindole". Another "toxic" product could not be identified. "A dosis of 0.0015 milligramme of one of these products was enough to kill 50 per cent of bacteria used in the test," the report said. One dangerous aspect is that the toxic products "easily mix with water and can lead to a state of high toxicity when concentrated in water" (As-Safir 14.1.1995, L'Orient-Le Jour 14.1.1995). The Environment Ministry said the sheep died because of cold. * MP Hagop Jokhadarian told the weekly al-Hawadeth (10.2.1995) about a report of the Ministry of Water Resources and Electricity regarding the "pollution of the water in the Hermel and Baalbeck areas where goats died due to the pollution..." "There is a pollution of the water and of agriculture products with consequences to the heatlth of people... We know how much polluted are the waters of the al-Asal source and the waters of Faraya (Kisrwan) due to the toxic barrels." He did not elaborate. 5. ITALIAN GOVERNMENT DECEIVES LEBANESE AUTHORITIES The Lebanese media uncovered the scandal in June 1988. Italian embassador Antonio Mancini said: "We heard about the affair only from the papers. The activities of the company in Milano is totally legal. There is no need to pressure Italy because of this issue. Everything is legal in Italy." (At-Tadamun 18.7.1988). But pressure nevertheless rose and a clandestine group threatened in June to attack Italian interests and nationals if Rome did not take back the waste. An anonymous telephone caller claiming to speak for the "Organisation of Preserving the Lebanese Right" told an international news agency in Beirut that the group gave Italy a week to take the waste back. "If the Italians do not take their waste back within one week all Italian embassies, interests and institutions will be hit violentely and relentlesly. The Italian people will live in a state of fear and terror," he said. (RTR 23.6.1988) Following a public outcry and pressure from Premier Hoss, Mr Mancini said Italy promised it would take back all the waste, and it would also finance the operation "for humanitarian reasons". Italy had "initially" allocated three million dollars to assist in the disposal abroad of toxic waste in Lebanon, Mancini said (SZ/RTR, 16.7.88; AFP 1.7.88). Prime Minister Selim al-Hoss demanded that Italy pay the full cost of transporting the waste and affirmed that its removal "does not mean that the file on this crime has been closed, as the outcome still remains in the hands of the judiciary" (BBC, 1.7.1988/AFP 15.7.1988). Agency reports in 1988 said Italy suggested that the waste be incinerated on vessels. But these plans were apparently not enforced. A number of senior officials in 1988 asked Premier Hoss to summon back the Lebanese ambassador in Rome or freeze diplomatic relations with Italy for a period. Hoss refused and argued that the Italian government was only morally and not directly responsible for the scandal (al-Shuraa quoted in Xinhua 11.7.1988). 6. THE MYSTERIOUS SHIPS The Italian embassy said in June 1988 that several ships would return the waste to Italy (dpa/SZ 25.6.1988). A month later, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said Italy asked the Italian company Monteco to collect the waste and return it to Italy (AFP 1.7.88). In August, six Italian experts arrived in Beirut to supervise the transfering of the waste to Italy. The head of the team, Miss Cezarrina Ferruzi, said the waste will be loaded into the Italian ship "Cunski" docked in Beirut (RTR, 23.8.1988). "Cunski" was expected to arrive in an Italian port "in the coming weeks" with waste from Lebanon exported earlier by "Jelly Wax", it was reported by AFP on September 3, 1988. Lyods List spoke of another ship, the "Vorais Sporiades", that was to return waste from Lebanon to Italy. In the summer of 1988, the "Lebanese Forces" supervised the loading operation that involved Italian experts and Lebanese workers who emptied the content of 5,500 party rusty and leaking barrels in the vicinity of the port, mixed the waste with sand and lime and then reloaded it in about 9,500 new barrels that had apparently been brought from Italy. This is done so that the waste cauese no danger to the health of the ship crews. "Many barrels were emptied in the sea, thus polluting it... C‚sar Nasr was supervising the operation, together with the Lebaneses Forces person responsible for the port's fifth bassin, George Medawar," the Lebanese Army report said. 5,500 barrels were mixed with sand and lime and put in 9,500 barrels, Dr Pierre Malychef said. These were loaded in "three cargo ships, including the Vorais Sporiades". "The air was so bad, one could hardly breathe, which jeopardized the health of the workers and impeded the implementation of the operation. The wharfs were stacked with hundreds of empty or semi-empty barrels more or less full of cracks, oozing out toxic leakages which penetrated and contaminated the soil," Malychef said in an long interview (Revue du Liban 30.7.1988). Dr Jarjoui and Dr Malychef were at the site when the waste was repackaged. They were eyewitnesses to the contamination of the port on September 20, 1988. "Right from the beginning 500 barrels broke down and their toxic containt polluted the ground. The other barrels were, after being loaded into three ships, unloaded and emptied, mixed with humid sand and lime, thus polluting more ground," the scientists' report said. "We saw workers emptying many barrels in the sea and trying to clean the wharf with water canons... They did not react to our protest. Militiamen from the National Fund then detained us, searched for our filmmaterial and confiscated it... When we showed our officials papers.... we were accused of being spies." Dr Jarjoui and Dr Malychef, who wanted to supervise the loading of all the waste, were humiliated by the militiamen and then forced out of the port vicinity. "We were asked to leave the port, for our own security, and not to interfere in the waste case because it was only their business," their report said. The Lebanese Army secret service report confirmed that Ghassan Tuma from the "Lebanese Forces" confiscated film from the two scientists. The Lebanese Foreign Ministry then issued a complaint to the Italian embassy: "We have the honor to inform you that the Lebanese government issued an official complaint regarding the shipment of toxic waste that is taking place in violation of all international health standards. The operation took place without cooperation between Italian experts and the official Lebanese committee of scientists that was forbidden to supervise the operation. The Foreign Ministry demands that the departure of the ship with the waste be postponed until the Health Ministry issues an authorization. The Foreign Ministry demands that the Health Ministry and the Lebanese committee issue a paper confirming the departure of all the waste before the ship leaves." This note was de facto ignored, and the "Jolly Rosso" left without receiving an official Lebanese confirmation that all the toxic waste from Italy was shipped out of Lebanon. C‚sar Nasr said in 1994: "I affirm sending out of the country the 6,000 barrels at the expenses of Mr Antonio Mancini who paid for the operation 3.7 million dollars (L'Orient-Le Jour 21.9.1994)." According to several sources, at least four ships were used to ship out of Lebanon 9,500 barrels with the content of 5,500 toxic waste barrels: "Yvonne", "Cunski", "Vorais Sporiades" and "Jolly Rosso". Information gathered by Greenpeace indicated that only one ship ever reached Italy: "Jolly Rosso", which is owned by the firm Ignazio Messima. No official Italian report was available confirming that "Vorais Sporiades", "Yvonne" and "Cunski" ever reached Italy with waste from Lebanon. 7. THE JOLLY ROSSO MYTH "Jolly Rosso" left Beirut on January 11, 1989. A few days later it anchored off the port of La Spezia, Italy. It had to wait there until April after it was clear where the waste would be treated, authorities said. (dpa 12.1.89; RTR 11.4.1989; 18.1.1989; Lloyds List 13.4.1989). It arrived there with only 2,000 barrels on board, the Il Sole - 24 Ore reported (RTR database 18.1.1989). In April 1989 it was allowed to discharge the waste. Port authorities at La Spezia said 1,416 barrels considered most at risk would be taken off swiftly (RTR 11.4.1989). Authorities in Italy in late 1988 and early 1989 claimed that all the waste from Lebanon, 2,400 tonnes, was on board the "Jolly Rosso". They did not mention the other ships anymore. They also did not mention that the 9,500 barrels that left Lebanese territory contained in fact only waste from 5,500 barrels. It should be noted that the "Jolly Rosso" was a Roll-on Roll-off ship, meaning that it could just open its rear door and dump barrels in the sea. In 1995, Lebanese deputy Samir Aoun, a member of the Parliamentary Committe for Environment, said he had information confirming that "Yvonne" was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea. Dr Malychef also spoke of a United Nations report confirming this. The Lebanese Army report said Yvonne "was probably blown up in the sea... Shortly afterwards barrels containing waste and heavy metals were washed along the Lebanese coast". A United Nations General Assembly report to the general-secretary on "Illegal trafic in toxic and dangerous products and wastes", dated July 18, 1989 said: "In July 1988, in Beirut harbour, a cargo flying the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was loaded with barrels containing exhaust gases with a noxios odour. Close by was another ship flying an unidentifiable flag, which undertook to transfer the said barrels onto a third ship, the Yvonne, bearing the Sri Lankan flag. According to available information, the Yvonne was to be sunk with its cargo in the Mediterranean after elaving the harbour. A radio journalist from Famagusta, Cyprus, told Greenpeace in 1989 that he had intercepted a radio conversation between the captain of "Vorais Sporiades" and another unidentified ship. The two captains were discussing about the best place to dump waste. Their position was between 40 and 50 kilometres east of Famagusta close to the Lebanese coastline. The Middle East Economic Digest reported on July 7, 1988: "It is supected that some of the waste bas been dumped into the sea." Greek authorities said "seven ships transporting waste from Lebanon want to dump it in the sea, and it could have been sunk to keep the operation secret" (AFP 16.9.1988; An-Nahar 30.1.1995). All available information about the dumping in the sea fits with a satement issed by the Italian embassy in Beirut in June 1988, mentionning "three ships" that would load the waste and then "wait for instructions" in international waters (dpa/Sddeutsche Zeitung 14.6.99). If one or many ships were sunk, or if they dumped their cargo into the sea, then this would explain why in 1988/89 barrels were washed ashore in Lebanon. CDR President Malek Salem mentioned in his letter to the UNDP in 1990 where some of these barrels landed: * Tyre: 119 barrels (150-liter) containing paints, toxic heavy metals and aniline * Tripoli, Abdeh and al-Oqaibeh: barrels containing toxic heavy metals. Former Premier Selim Hoss told parliament in 1988 that the Lebanese Forces "hurried" to take away the waste from the mountains to the port it controlled, thus hampering investigation. It would have been safer if the waste stayed where it was. Hoss said the waste was confiscated by judicial authorities in order to secure a professional shipment out of Lebanon at a later stage. The barrels were loaded in "two ships", he said (L'Orient-Le Jour 9.7.1988). "Some 6,000 barrels were shipped out, and we believed that these were all the barrels that came to Lebanon, but ... an additional number of barrels, about 10,000, were spotted, and they were spread in different Lebanese areas," Hoss said in 1995 (An-Nahar 31.1.1995). Hoss said in 1995 that only some of the waste was returned to Italy, although he had repeatedly demanded that all the waste be taken out of the country. The "Lebanese Forces" and Italian authorities were deceitfull when they claimed that all the waste was returned to sender. He said the remaining barrels were dumped in the sea, in the moutains, burned or sold for reuse (al-Hawadeth 23.7.1988, as-Safir 23.9.1994, an-Nahar 31.1.1995). In the wake of this scandal, the Lebanese government issued a law banning any form of pollution (Nr 64/88, dated 18.8.1988). Punishment could be jail or even the death sentence. In February 1991, Italian Environment Minister Giorgio Ruffolo attempted to end once and for all the issue of Italian toxics exported to developing nations. He said the saga of the "poison ships" carrying Italian toxic waste was over. His comments were made at the opening of a waste treatement plant in Livorno to deal with the waste from ships that returned toxics from Syria, Nigeria and Lebanon in 1988/89. The December 31, 1990, deadline set up by the Italian government for dealing with this "emergency", was "for the first time not just a purely formal decision", Ruffolo said. 8. ITALIAN INDUSTRIALISTS, BROKERS UNDER PRESSURE Its image badly tattered, the Italian government on September 2, 1988, pledged to ban any further toxic exports to the developing world. Toxic waste would be exported in future only to European Union and OECD member states. "The country that produces waste must also treat it," said Italian Environment Minister Giorgio Ruffolo. At that time, Italy produced every year 50 million tonnes of waste, including 5 million tonnes of highly toxic waste. (AFP 3.9.1988) On September 20, 1988, government officials went to court to force at least 22 waste producers and brokers to turn over 75 million dollars to meet the cost of transporting and treating incoming Italian waste from countries like Nigeria and Lebanon. "Jelly Wax" managing director Renato Pent responded indignantly to the lawsuit, insisting that his firm's exports to Nigeria, Togo, Senegal, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey had all been authorized by officials of those countries. "No way we will pay. We never sent waste just like that. We have letters from ministers from Nigeria, Togo, Senegal, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey with the stamps of the Italian embassies allowing the discharge of waste", Pent claimed (AFP 22.(11).9.1988) "The Italian government should seek reparations from foreign governments that refused to honor their commitments," Pent protested. "And if they refuse to pay, the government should take the funds from the aid money for the Third World." 9. BARRELS APPEAR AGAIN IN LEBANON On August 29, 1994, hundreds of inhabitants in the Kisrwan mountains northeast of Beirut prevented officials from the Environment Ministry and a small police force from dumping 19 barrels with waste in Joseph Mireb's stone quarry near the village of Yahshush. The action took place secretly in the middle of the night. The barrels in a container were to be dumped in a hole without any security measures a few meters from the Ibrahim river. News of this plan spread when people noticed the smell from the truck while it was slowly driving through villages. The driver carried a gas mask. Church bells rang in the mainly Christian Maronite area. People rushed to the dumping site and forced police to get the barrels back on the truck and leave the region. Some barrels were damaged when lifted on the truck, people panicked, some fainted from the gases. The barrels were then transported to Beirut Port and stored in a container. The Lebanese media in January 1995 published a document from Kisrwan official Raymond Hitti, allowing "Dr. Jamil Rima, the advisor of the Environment Minister, to supervise the destruction of outdated plastic substances in the upper Kisrwan area in line with ecological rules he believes are fine..." (An-Nahar 28.1.1995). Lebanese MP Samir Aoun said contractor Francois Rizk was responsible for digging the hole in the mountain, and Jamil Rima gave him 600 dollars for it. Environment Minister Samir Mokbel and his advisor, C‚sar Nasr, first said the waste was not pollutant (as-Safir 1.9.94). The waste was "toxic but not poisonous", and publich opinion was "hysteric" although the dumping was to be carried out "scientifically". They said the waste was outdated ethyl acrylate and methyl acrylate that had been stored in the "Lasco" plastic production factory since 1975. "The Environment Ministry became active last June because of complaints from inhabitants in the al-Oqaibeh region due to the smell emanating from Lasco..." Nasr said. Parliamentary deputy Mansur al-Bun from Kisrwan said the waste was part of the Italian deal, and he remarked that "Lasco" had been closed not since 1975 but since 1987, the year when the waste from Italy was imported. Some of the barrels from Italy were dumped in the sea, some lost in Lebanon and some were returned to Italy. Al-Bun demanded that this case be reopened. (As-Safir 1.9.94) Dr. Milad Jarjoui and other scientists said this waste was toxic and carcinogenic. The waste could be part of the Italian deal. Some of this waste had been stored inside "Lasco", they charged. Minister Mokbel and Nasr denied that the waste was part of the Italian shipment and threatened to sue Jarjoui. Nasr said in 1994 he had personally supervised the shipment of all the waste from Italy from the port of Beirut to Italy in 1988. There was no need to reopen the case, he added. The two ignored al-Bun's remarks. On June 14, 1994, about 30 barrels with solid waste were dicovered in the Kisrwan mountains near the site where the alleged acrylates were to be dumped. On some was written "BASF, Badische Aneline und Soda Farben". Other barrels appeared a few kilometres near this site in Tallat Masarat. The barrels were rusty and almost covered by sand. Authorities dugged them out and put their contents in a container at Beirut Port near the one with the acrylates. Lebanese ecological groups suspected that this waste was part of the Italian deal. (Lebanese scientists in Green Line Report) It is to be noted that the outdated chemicals sent by "Jelly Wax" to Lebanon were obviously not all produced in Italy. Some of the chemicals could have been made in Germany or elsewhere and bought by an Italian firm that later asked "Jelly Wax" to get rid of it because they were outdated. The Environment Ministry said sample tests it asked to be made by the Lebanese University and by the Ministry of Agriculture showed that the waste was not harmful. Deputy Samir Aoun later charged that the ministry forged these test results. "The head of the Academy of Health at the Lebanese University, Dr. George Muradids, told the Justice Department that the documents presented by Jamil Rima were forged, and that Lebanon has no laboratory that can test such substances" (An-Nahar 31.1.1995). 10. GREENPEACE TAKES SAMPLES On November 15, 1994, the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior arrived in Beirut - the first official visit of a Greenpeace ship to Lebanon. On board, the Lebanese ecological group "Green Line" asked during a press conference that authorities allow Greenpeace experts to take samples from the two containers. The demand was made in order that the nature of the waste might be determined by an independent source. The press conference triggered a series of events: strong media impact, a meeting between Greenpace and Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and between Greenpeace and Minister Samir Moqbel and his advisors. Greenpeace was then allowed to take samples. On Thursday night, November 17, 1994, Greenpeace activists took samples from some barrels in the port. Among the Greenpeace activists was Ruth Stringer from the reasearch laboratory at Exeter University in Britain. The sampling action was supervised by army members and by Dr Jamil Rima from the Environment Ministry. The samples were later analysed at the research laboratory, and the test results were published in Beirut on January 31, 1995. The Greenpeace report said the two waste containers at Beirut Port contained methyl acrylate and ethyl acrylate, a highly flammable liquid used for the production of plastics. They also contained toxic chlorinated paraffins as well as toxic heavy metals in solid waste. The tested samples were not radioactive. Lebanese press reports had said the waste from Italy was also radioactive. This could not be proven until all the waste still in Lebanon is found and tested. In solid waste samples taken from the two containers, Greenpeace scientists found hydrocarbons from oil residues and chlorinated substances like HCBD, a highly toxic chemical that causes neurological damage and renal necrosis (cells in kidney die), and is a suspected carcinogen. These substances can cause skin and eye irritation, and damage the liver, kidney and reproductive systems. Toxic heavy metals were also found in the solid waste samples from the containers. The solid waste could be part of the Italian deal. "The Lebanese Environmental Ministry made a mistake in the summer of 1994 when it tried to dump the acrylates in the Kisrwan Mountains. Dumping is no solution in getting rid of toxic waste, and the mountains are an aquifer region. The acrylates are water soluble and could easily leak out and contaminate the ground water supplies of an aquifer," the Greenpeace report said. The waste at Beirut Port could be part of the Italian deal because test results of the waste from Italy in 1988 showed that it, too, contained a cocktail of toxic heavy metals and hydrocarbons (oil residues). The solid waste at Beirut port was found in the Kisrwan mountains, in the region mentioned by the scientists and by official reports as being the dumping site in 1988 of many barrels from Italy. 11. THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT REOPENS THE CASE A day after the report was released in Beirut, the Lebanese government ordered a high-level inquiry into the dumping of the toxic waste from Italy. The "Higher Relief Agency", a seven-member ministerial body headed by Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, said it would launch a search for the barrels and remove them as quickly as possible. The cabinet also asked the Judicial Council - Lebanon's highest court for state security crimes - to investigate the case. The cabinet decree dated February 1, 1995, read: "The case of the attack against internal state security has been transferred to the judicial body. The case occurred at a different time and led to the import of toxic and dangerous waste to Lebanon and to the spreading of the waste in several Lebanese areas. Some was sold and reused, and the waste polluted the environment, harmed people. It affected agriculture and livestock." Justice Minister Bahij Tabbarah the same day said the 1991 general amnesty law for war crimes did not cover the dumping of toxic waste in Lebanon. Prosecutor Said Mirza was appointed to investigate the case again. The cabinet decisions meant that the whole case was not anymore solely in the hands of Environment Minister Samir Mokbel, who according to Parliamentary Deputy Samir Aoun was involved in another scandal. Aoun said in January 1995 he possessed documents proving that Moqbel was involved in waste exports and arms deals, and that Moqbel had been detained for a while in Iraq in 1985 because of arms smuggling business. Moqbel arranged the import of chemicals from Iraq to the "Lebanese Forces". Aoun said this deal included chemicals for the production of ammunition. Moqbel denied the charges. In August 1986, an explosion occurred in a factory for chemical weapons of the "Lebanese Forces" in the East Beirut district of Furn al-Shibbak, killing dozens of people. The area then was cordoned off by the militia, toxic materials and polluted debris were removed and dumped in an unknown place. If Aoun's charges proved to be true, it would be clear why minister Moqbel protected former "Lebanese Forces" members Dr C‚sar Nasr and Dr Jamil Rima. It would also make sense why these two and other ex-militia members were employed in the Environment Ministry. The Lebanese Army report said Samir Geagea, the head of the "Lebanese Forces", had "advised that C‚sar Nasr and Jamil Rima be appointed advisors of the Environment Minister". A move to prevent any new investigation in the waste scandal after the end of the civil war in 1990? Deputies and even ministers called on Moqbel to resign. Moqbel repeatedly denied all charges voiced by MP Samir Aoun and refused to quit. "It is clear that the Lebanese Forces wanted to take over the Ministry of Environment to cover up the issue of toxic waste. It is known that Dr. C‚sar Nasr, an expert at the Environment Ministry, is one of the people involved in the waste issue, and he managed to appoint Dr. Jamil Rima as an expert at the ministry, in line with the advice of Samir Geagea (head of the militia). Dr. Rima worked hard... to employ at the ministry the highest number possible of Lebanese Forces members," the army report said. The seven other former members of the "Lebanese Forces" now employed at the Environment Ministry were according to this report: Nimeh Abbud, Hanna Siman Rizk, Andr‚ Isa, Nahi Eid, Ziad Eid, Jean Mifleh, Fouad Haddad. An outraged Aoun revealed in January 1995 other plans of the Environment Minister: "Moqbel came to a meeting of the Parliamentary Environment Committe with one of his advisors, Samir Jabbur. In the middle of a discussion about setting up incinerators (in Lebanon) to get rid of solid waste, it became clear that Moqbel wanted to get 430 million dollars from the government to finance this project. Jabbur confirmed to us that Moqbel is his partner in this operation." Following harsh criticism by politicians and the media against Moqbel and his advisors, C‚sar Nasr resigned on February 2, 1995. He wrote in his letter to Moqbel: "Following the cheap repeated allegations against me personally ... and following the decision to entrust the judicial body with the case of waste, and following the decision to appoint a special prosecutor to deal with this matter, I believe it is important that I liberate myself from my duties in the ministry..." State Prosecutor Said Mirza on Feb. 23, 1995, issued warrants for the arrest of three men suspected of dumping waste in Lebanon during the war: Arman Nassar, Antoine al-Aam and Roger Haddad. Haddad was charged with bringing the waste to Lebanon and al-Amm with disposing of it in various regions of Lebanon. Arman Nassar, who according to Mirza contracted the deal, was out of the country. Haddad and al-Amm were arrested. The "Higher Relief Council" wrote on February 10, 1995, to Premier Hariri suggesting that the justice and police find out where the waste is, take samples, dig them out and see to it that they were safely disposed off (An-Nahar 14.2.1995). "While discussing this issue with the Parliamentary Committee on Environment, some suggested to get in touch with the Italian government to return the waste to sender," the letter to Hariri read. It was signed by Minister Moqbel, Finance Minister Fouad al-Seniora and Deputy Premier Michel al-Murr. 12. ITALIAN SNUB Several Lebanese politicians and ecological groups demanded that the waste still in Lebanon be found and returned to Italy. Deputy Mohammad Qabbani, a member of the Parliamentary Environment Committee, said in February 1995: "All the barrels must be returned to sender." But Italian Ambassador in Lebanon, Carlo Calia, on February 21, 1995, claimed that all the toxic waste sent from Italy to Lebanon had been returned to Italy in 1988. It still has to be proved that the barrels with toxic waste found lately in Lebanon are part of the deal, he said. Greenpeace issued a statement rejecting Calia's remarks. It is shameful that Calia demands the Lebanese should first prove that the waste from Italy is still in their country. It is his government that ought to prove that not one single toxic waste barrel is still in Lebanon. It is Italy that allowed "Jelly Wax" to take advantage of the state of war in Lebanon and dump the highly toxic industrial waste there in 1987. Therefore, the government in Rome has a moral obligation to help Lebanese authorities search for the barrels, dig them out and return them to Italy. The Italian government promised in 1988 to return all the waste. Shortly afterwards, the Lebanese "Civic Emergency Committee" called for protests at the Italian embassy and Beirut government buildings to demand speedy removal of the waste. The committee, including the head of the Parliamentary Environment Committee, Hagop Jokhadarian, said the Ambassador's statement that Italy in 1988 took back all the waste it dumped was wrong. It was an attempt to ease the pressure on the Italian government, and thousands of barrels still remained in Lebanon (an-Nahar 22.3.1995). Jokhadarian, who endorsed Greenpeace's remarks on the ambassador's claims, said Italy had brought the toxic wastes to Lebanon, using false documents and without obtaining clearance from the Lebanese government. He said Italy had pledged to remove its waste. "Italy is committed to taking the toxics back and indemnifying Lebanon," Jokhadarian said (UPI and RTR 22.2.1995). He stressed that 15,800 barrels were dumped in Lebanon. Some 6,000 were returned and about 10,000 were still in the country (an-Nahar 23.3.1995). Deputy Mohammad Qabbani, a member of the Environment Committe, said: "It is clear that the source of the waste is Italy. So why until now didn't the government simply, clearly and honestly demand that Italy return the waste like it did in 1988 when it returned 6,000 barrels?" (an-Nahar 14.2.1995) Minister Walid Jumblatt said: "Parts of the barrels were shipped, off course, but it did not reach Italy. His exellency (the ambassador) may allow me to say, it did not reach Italy and was sunk in the sea." The "Environment Committee to Combat Toxic Waste", a coalition of 24 Lebanese non-governmental organisations, criticised Calia's remarks. "Italy is responsible for taking back the (remaining) waste," the head of the committee, Dr. Kamel Mhanna, said (1.3.1995). Even Dr C‚sar Nasr indirectly admitted that many barrels were still in Lebanon. "About 6,000 barrels were returned on board the ship," he said. Asked about the remaining barrels in Lebanon, he said: "I do not deny the existence of these barrels, but no one knows the exact number of these barrels." Nasr spoke during a press conference in Beirut on February 7, 1995, during which he explained why he resigned from his post. But Lebanese MP Mansur al-Bun charged: "C‚sar Nasr knows how the waste was imported and where it was dumped under the ground" (an-Nahar 20.1.1995). 13. LEBANESE COVER UP? After setting up the "Higher Relief Council", one of his members, Deputy Premier Michel al-Murr, said the waste was also a "pschychological problem" - a remark that unleashed criticism from politicians and NGOs. Shortly afterwards Prosecutor Said Mirza, who was appointed to investigate the case, ordered on February 8, 1995, the detention of Dr Pierre Malychef for allegedly giving false testimony on the waste scandal. A public outcry followed. It is to be noted that Dr Malychef is regarded as a devoted and credible scientist. He was elected in 1988 to the UNDP's "Global 500 Honor Roll" in recognition of "outstanding practical achievements in the protection and improvement of the environment". Malychef, who is in his 60s and has heart problems, was transferred a day later to hospital with the authorization of the prosecutor's office. Malychef has said a day before his arrest in a television debate that toxic waste was scattered around the entire country. Minister Walid Jumblatt called on March 2 for the creation of a pressure group and UN intervention, accusing the Lebanese government of trying to stage a cover-up. "There are (waste) barrels on land and in the sea. Lebanon, like all Third World countries, is a garbage dump," said Jumblatt, leader of the Druze community and minister in charge of people displaced during the war. "The government handling of the waste issue constitutes an insult to the rights and intelligence of the Lebanese people... The scientist (Malychef), they (authorities) arrested him because he dared to talk about facts," he said. Health Minister Marwan Hamade refused to take part in the meetings of the "Higher Relief Council" because Minister Moqbel is a member of the council. MP Samir Aoun also refused to attend meetings of the council. Deputies, NGOs and the media criticised Malychef's detention. They spoke of an attempt to cover-up the scandal. All, including the Lions Club, demanded that Malychef be freed, "because he just said the truth". The Lebanese Association for Human Rights issued a statement saying that the waste issue "is now focussed on arresting witnesses, while the real responsible people .. are still enjoying freedom" (as-Safir 8.3.1995). The weekly al-Hawadeth wrote on March 3, 1995: "Authorities seem to tackle the issue, but in the wrong direction... The focus is on blaming one person." Public pressure apparently led to the release of Malychef on March 6, 1995. Authorities said he was released after retracting a statement he made. Malychef denied this. It should be noted that in 1994 and 1995 Minister Moqbel went as far as publicly calling on the population to give him all information about the site of the waste so that he order its removal and safe storage (As-Safir 12.11.1994). At the same time he and the Lebanese government ignored all reports saying where the waste had been dumped or burned. No search was ordered, and autgorities said they would await Mirza's investigation results. Minister Samir Moqbel even revoked an invitation sent to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Geneva, MP Hagop Jokhardian said. "The Environment Committee is eager to get UN assistance despite the opposite decision made by the Minister of Environment to freeze this demand. We are awaiting a decision (on the waste decision) from the Higher Relief Council, and we will have the role of a controller," he pledged. Meanwhile, Prosecutor Said Mirza ordered TV producer Zaafin Kujumajian from Tele Liban not air a story on the waste issue. Some of the info used by the producer were wrong, other interfered in the course of the investigation, Mirza argued (as-Safir 22.2.1995). 14. GREENPEACE DEMANDS RETURN TO SENDER The Italian government must fulfill its 1988 promise and return all the toxic waste still in Lebanon. It has a moral obligation to organize and finance * a search for the remaining waste in Lebanon, * digging it out with the help of experts, * securing it and then shipping it back to Italy, * testing contaminated land and rehabilitating it, * indemnifying Lebanese citizens if proven victims of the waste. In the meantime, the Lebanese government must officially demand from Italy that it fulfills its 1988 promise and return all the toxic waste. Greenpeace urges the Lebanese government to order a search of all the barrels that were sold in Lebanon for reuse and see to it that their content, if still existing, is confiscated and secured. The waste barrels from Italy are ecological time bombs in Lebanon's soil and waters, and a threat to the population. The exact site of the dumped and burned barrels is known by the Lebanese nationals directly involed in the case. Greenpeace urges authorities, in this case Prosecutor Said Mirza and the "Higher relief Council", to inform the public about the investigation results. Public opinion has a right to know. Greenpeace is willing to cooperate with the Lebanese government to find the waste and return it to sender - Italy. It should be noted that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in its 1990 report suggested to * implement an "urgent logistic programme" in Lebanon to assess the situation and "evaluate the risks of pollution of the environment and the risks to public health", * use "mobile laboratories for urgent and exact tests" and * formulate a "project to rehabilitate the coastline and the doomed contaminated sites, especially the ones polluted by the hydrocarbons and the other dangerous substances". VI. SOURCES: - The International Trade in Wastes: A Greenpeace Inventory, 1990 - Greenpeace Waste Trade update, 1.8.1988 - Greenpeace Waste Trade Update, 15.10.1988 - Greenpeace Waste Trade Update, 15.7.1989 - Greenpeace Waste Trade Update in the Mediterranean Region, September 1994 - "The case of toxic waste and its environmental, geological and judicial implications - a scientific study", 30 pages. By "Green Line", November 1994 - Wire stories in 1988/89 and 1994/95: Agence France Presse, Reuters, Deutsche Presse Agentur, United Press Agency, Xinhua. - Reports from Loyds List in 1988 and 1989. - Reports in Lebanese newspapers 1987/88 and 1994/95: an-Nahar, as-Safir, L'Orient-Le Jour, al-Hayat. - Die Zeit, 5.8.1988 - Neue Zricher Zeitung, 10.2.1995 - West Africa, 20.7.1988 - Der Spiegel, Nr 24, 1988 - Die Tageszeitung, 7.7.1988 - Al-Mostaqbal, 23.7.1988: Report of Judge George Ghantous, Information on the waste - Al-Majalla, 26.7.1988 and 3.8.1988 - Revue du Liban, 30.7.1988 B/W fotos: courtesy of the Lebanese daily an-Nahar. They were taken by Mr George Semarjian, who was killed during fighting between the Lebanese Army and the militia "Lebanese Forces" in 1900, shortly before the end of the civil war. APPENDIX 1. Basel Convention Text. 2. Document of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regarding pollution in Lebanon and annex on the "Quantity of dangerous and toxic waste imported to Lebanon ... and list of different chemical substances", 29.11.1990 (in French). 3. Document of "Adonis Productions Engeineering" and annex, 21.10.1987 (in Arabic). 4. UN General Assembly report on "illegal trafic in toxic and dangerous products and waste", only page 1,2 and 18, 18.7.1989 (in English). 5. Report of Prosecutor Dr Munif Hamdan, 26.6.1988 (in Arabic). 6. "Judicial decision" of Prosecutor Labib Zwein dated February 2, 1992 (in Arabic). 7. Report of the Lebanese scientists, 15.7.1988 (in Arabic). 8. Greenpeace sampling report, 31.1.1995 (in English). 9. Lebanese Army report, 30.1.1995 (in Arabic). 10. Letter of Malek Salam, President of the Council For Development and Reconstruction (CDR) to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Lebanon, 20.6.1990 (in English). 11. Protocol of parliament meeting on July 12, 1988, including questions from deputies to Prime Minister Selim Hoss and his answer (in Arabic). 12. Letter of Italian embassador Antonio Mancini to Lebanese Health Minister Joseph al-Hashem, with annex, 23.6.1988 (in French). 13. Document regarding storage of 4,000 barrels in Zuk Mosbeh, signed by Dumit Kamid, 10.10.1987 (in Arabic). 14. Document of Lebanese Chambre of Commerce and Industry, certificate for the company "Contracting and Commercial Services" (CCS), 4.12.1987 (in French). ??