Science news

20 October 2009

Chemists, lawyers and lies

Read the full Minton Report here.

Below is the most telling page of John Minton's analysis and discussion of the effects on West Africans of the dumping of toxic waste by Trafigura in their villages:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compare that with what Trafigura and their lawyers Carter-Ruck are saying (my italics):

23 September 2009

"Mr Justice MacDuff today endorsed the Abidjan Personal Injury Group Litigation settlement in London’s Royal Courts of Justice.
In doing so, both the Judge and the Claimants’ own legal team fully endorsed Trafigura’s long-maintained position that the Probo Koala’s slops simply could not have caused deaths, miscarriages, stillbirths, birth defects or other serious or long-term injuries. This followed thorough analysis by 20 independent experts in what has been by far the most detailed consideration of these matters anywhere in the world, since the Probo Koala incident in August 2006."

Read their full statement here.

Who's right; who's telling the truth?

None of the "20 independent experts" seems to be available for comment. Mr Justice MacDuff has been a lawyer since 1969 and has no education or qualifications in chemistry.

John Minton is a highly experienced chemical engineer and ship's cargo contamination expert.

Who do you believe?

No doubt. But that's not good enough.

Science is not about who has most experience or is better educated or carries more authority. It's about evidence, analysis and thinking for yourself.

Study John Minton's report. Analyse his thinking and his chemistry.

Then decide.