'Strong' evidence linking toxic ship to I.Coast deathsA UN expert has found "strong" evidence linking at least 15 deaths and several hospitalisations to pollution from a ship that dumped toxic waste toxic waste is waste material, often in chemical form, that can cause death or injury to living creatures. It usually is the product of industry or commerce, but comes also from residential use, agriculture, the military, medical facilities, radioactive sources, and in Ivory Coast Ivory Coast: see Côte d'Ivoire. , contrary to claims from the firm that chartered the ship. "There seems to be strong prima facie evidence prima facie evidence n. Law Evidence that would, if uncontested, establish a fact or raise a presumption of a fact. that the reported deaths and adverse health consequences are related to the dumping of the waste from the cargo ship ?Probo Koala'," said Okechukwu Ibeanu Okechukwu Ibeanu is Professor of Political Science and Dean, Faculty of the Social Sciences at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is also the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council on the adverse effects of illicit movement and dumping of toxic waste on , who is the UN Special Rapporteur on the issue, in a report due to be presented Thursday to the Human Rights Council. In August 2006, the Probo Koala koala (kōä`lə), arboreal marsupial, or pouched mammal, Phascolarctos cinereus, native to Australia. Although it is sometimes called koala bear, or Australian bear, and is somewhat bearlike in appearance, it is not related to true ship, chartered by Trafigura, dumped deadly caustic soda caustic soda: see sodium hydroxide. caustic soda Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), an inorganic compound. The alkalies called caustic soda and caustic potash (potassium hydroxide) are very important industrial chemicals, with uses in the manufacture of and petroleum residues on city waste tips in Abidjan in Ivory Coast -- having first attempted to offload the cargo in Amsterdam. Trafigura, an oil trading firm, has already paid a one hundred billion CFA francs (152 million euros) in damages to the victims of the toxic poisoning in Ivory Coast in an out-of-court deal with the Ivory Coast government which exempts it from legal proceedings All actions that are authorized or sanctioned by law and instituted in a court or a tribunal for the acquisition of rights or the enforcement of remedies. in that country. A lawyer for victims taking legal action in Britain, where Trafigura has offices, said on Wednesday that the company had offered a global settlement which "is likely to be acceptable to most, if not all, of the claimants." Court proceedings are ongoing in the Netherlands, with hearings scheduled for 2010. The Special Rapporteur noted that Trafigura had provided information saying that the waste may have resulted in an unpleasant smell, but "could not have led to the widespread injuries, illnesses and deaths alleged." However, Ibeanu noted otherwise following his investigation into the case. "Residents in areas close to the dumping sites were directly exposed to the waste through skin contact and breathing of the volatile substances," he said. "In addition, secondary exposure reportedly occurred through contact with surface water, groundwater and eventually through consumption of foods grown or extracted from contaminated contaminated, v 1. made radioactive by the addition of small quantities of radioactive material. 2. made contaminated by adding infective or radiographic materials. 3. an infective surface or object. land and water." Before the ship and its toxic cargo headed for Abidjan, an attempt to unload the Probo Koala was stopped halfway through in Amsterdam. The waste was pumped back into the ship by waste disposal company APS, which has also been summoned in the case, after APS claimed the waste was more toxic than expected and quoted a higher price for its disposal. Ibeanu also urged the Netherlands to "continue to provide support" to the Ivory Coast government to enable it to monitor and address the long-term human health and environmental effects of the incident. 
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