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THREE CAMBODIANS CHARGED OVER TAIWAN TOXIC WASTE

Reuters

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, 15 February 1999 -- Three Cambodian government officials have been charged over the dumping of nearly 3,000 tonnes of toxic waste last year, a newspaper reported on Monday. Two customs officials and a port inspector were accused of causing damage to life, property and the environment and released on bail, the English-language Cambodia Daily newspaper reported. They are the first government officials to be charged over the waste, which was dumped outside the southern port city of Sihanoukville. The manager of a Cambodian firm which imported the mercury-laced waste had already been charged in the case.

News of the dumping sparked riots in Sihanoukville in December in which one person was killed. Four others died in a panicked exodus of over 10,000 residents fearing contamination. Court officials in Sihanoukville were not immediately available for comment on Monday.

A prosecutor said last month that a total of nine government officials were expected to face charges over the waste.

Tests have shown that much of the waste contains very high levels of mercury.

Taiwan petrochemical giant Formosa Plastics Corp, which sent the waste to Cambodia in November, said on February 5 it would clear all of the waste within 60 days and send it to a third country or back to Taiwan.

Formosa initially said the concrete-like rubble was safe for landfill, but later acknowledged some of it might slightly exceed safety standards.

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