Tonnes of British hazardous waste found in Brazilian ports
Rubbish included syringes, nappies and condoms; Transport of waste may have violated international treaty
by Rory Carroll, guardian.co.uk
17 July 2009 – Police in Brazil are investigating how 1,400 tonnes of British hazardous waste, including nappies, condoms and toilet seats, ended up rotting in three Brazilian ports.
The discovery prompted disgust and alarm that the South American country was being used as a dumping ground in violation of an international treaty on the movement of hazardous waste.
Authorities said they wanted Britain to take back the 65 containers. "We will ask for the repatriation of this garbage," Roberto Messias, the head of the environment agency, told reporters. "Clearly, Brazil is not a big rubbish dump of the world."
Five Brazilian companies which imported the containers between February and May have been fined. They said they thought they were receiving plastic for recycling.
The shipment, which reportedly originated in the Suffolk port of Felixstowe, the UK's largest container port, ended up in the port of Santos near Sao Paulo, and two other ports in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Instead of recyclable plastic the containers were found to have chemical toilet seats, computer fragments, batteries, syringes, old medicine, leftover food, condoms and nappies.
An additional 25 containers, also thought to be from the UK, were later found with hospital waste, including bags of blood. Brazilian pride was especially piqued by a collection of grubby toys with a note in Portugese saying they should be scrubbed and donated to poor children.
Brazilian police are investigating two UK companies which so far have not been named.
The British embassy in Brasilia said the UK was opposed to illegal trade of any kind and would seek to establish if the Basel convention on the movement of hazardous waste had been broken.
"Where any company is found to have contravened the strict controls on the export of waste as set out by the Basel convention, which is fully ratified by the UK, the UK authorities will not hesitate to take action.
"The UK takes a strong global lead on protection of the environment and the safeguarding of human health, and will do all it can to stamp out the illegal trade in waste."
European companies seeking to bypass domestic regulations have traditionally used Africa as a dumping ground for hazardous waste, including sewage, contaminated oils and acids.
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