abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb
Article

3 May 2010

Author:
Pierre Eric Mbog Batassi, Afrik.com

[DOC] Pollution in Gabon: A Chinese Petroleum Company Collared

[Title translation, and the following summary of the article's key points, provided by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre; original article in French follows.] The Chinese company Addax Petroleum [part of Sinopec] has been found responsible for the pollution of the Obangué River. The Environment Director General of Gabon, Louis Léandre Ebobola, summoned the managers of this company to appear in Libreville on 30 April to repair the harms to the environment and to the local population...According to verified information, Addax Petroleum dumped chemical waste by-products from petroleum production into artificial lakes, and these entered into the Obangué River through seepage. The river is the principal water source for neighbouring communities... NGOs, notably WWF and Croissance Saine Environnement (Healthy Growth Environment – Gabonese NGO), had launched the case by invoking the risks of illness to rural populations.