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Unresolved

The available records do not permit a responsible conclusion.

Trafigura says on its Probo Koala page that neither deaths, nor miscarriages or serious illnesses could have been caused by the slops dumped in Abidjan in 2006.

Neither deaths, nor miscarriages or serious illnesses could have been caused by the slops.
About
Trafigura Group Pte. Ltd.
Claim made by
Trafigura, company statement
Published
12 October 2021
Original
The Probo Koala case in 13 questions
Evidence score
50 How it was scored
Last reviewed
25 October 2026

Why this label

Trafigura bases its position on UK expert findings and on a 2009 joint statement in the English group claim, which it says it settled at GBP 950 per claimant with no acknowledgement of liabilityS4. Trafigura's own page records that Ivorian courts convicted the heads of the local contractor and agent for poisoning. UN experts said in July 2026 that thousands of victims remain without justice, compensation or effective remediesS7. The Dutch case dealt with the export from Amsterdam, not harm in Ivory CoastS5S7. We read no court finding that settles whether the slops caused deaths. The records do not permit a responsible conclusion either way.

Current procedural position

No court finding on causation of deaths found. Ivory Coast settlement of 13 February 2007 and English group claim settlement of September 2009, both per TrafiguraS4. UN experts call for remedies as of July 2026S7.

Record supporting the assessment

unable to identify a link between exposure to the chemicals released from the slops and deaths
S4 Tier B Trafigura, The Probo Koala case in 13 questions, 12 October 2021
thousands of victims still remain without justice, compensation, or effective remedies
S7 Tier D JURIST (Cecilia Akoko Attiogbe Atayi), UN experts say victims of Trafigura's toxic waste dumping await justice after 20 years, 30 July 2026

Conflicting or limiting record

the slops could at worse have caused a range of short term low-level flu-like symptoms and anxiety
S4 Tier B Trafigura, The Probo Koala case in 13 questions, 12 October 2021

Evidence score: 50 of 100

The score grades how well the record establishes this assessment. It is not a score of Trafigura Group Pte. Ltd.. Score = source authority + directness + corroboration + procedural accuracy + currency + reproducibility.

ComponentPointsMaxReason
Source authorityIs the source competent to establish the proposition?1230The main records are a company page and a press account of UN experts.
DirectnessDoes the source state the proposition or only discuss adjacent facts?1020No read record directly settles the cause of deaths.
CorroborationDo independent records support the same material point?615The sources disagree in emphasis and none is a court finding on causation.
Procedural accuracyDoes the record settle the procedural state the claim describes?515No adjudication on causation was found.
CurrencyHas the record been checked against later developments?910The UN experts' statement of July 2026 was checked.
ReproducibilityCan a reader locate the passage and repeat the assessment?810Both pages are public.
Total50100

Timeline

  1. Slops from the Probo Koala dumped around AbidjanS4
  2. Settlement with the State of Ivory Coast, per TrafiguraS4
  3. English group claim settled with a joint statement, per TrafiguraS4
  4. UN experts say victims still await justiceS7

Related cases

  • Public Prosecution Service v Trafigura Beheer B.V. and othersAmsterdam District Court and Amsterdam Court of Appeal. Criminal. Not published.Stage: Final. Appeals withdrawn after a settlement with the prosecutor on 16 November 2012, per Trafigura
    • Fine upheld on appealS6
    • Appeals withdrawn after a settlement with the Dutch prosecutor, per TrafiguraS4

Responses

  • Trafigura, 12 October 2021: Trafigura says it could not have foreseen the acts of the local contractor that dumped the slops.S4

Revision history

  • Assessment first published with label Unresolved.

Have a record that changes this assessment? See corrections and responses.

Sources

  1. S4Tier B The Probo Koala case in 13 questionsTrafigura. Company statement. 12 October 2021.Company account of the dumping, the settlements, the Dutch fine and its view on health effects. The date is the latest date shown on the page.
  2. S7Tier D UN experts say victims of Trafigura's toxic waste dumping await justice after 20 yearsJURIST (Cecilia Akoko Attiogbe Atayi). Press report. 30 July 2026.Reports a 2026 UN experts statement on victims and notes the Dutch case covered export from Amsterdam only. It does not give death figures.
  3. S6Tier D Dutch appeals court upholds fine on oil trading companyJURIST. Press report. December 2011.Legal news report that the appeals court upheld the EUR 1 million fine. No byline or exact day is shown.
  4. S5Tier C Trafigura fined €1m for exporting toxic waste from AmsterdamDutchNews.nl. Press report. 23 July 2010.Reports the Amsterdam ruling, the fine and the concealment finding. It does not cover the appeal.Link working, checked 25 October 2026

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