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Texaco's oily footprint remains in Ecuador

Ecuadorians living among the toxic remains of Texaco's oil drilling operations battle the company in court.

By Stephanie RogersThu, May 21 2009 at 2:07 PM EST
 4

Photo: Chevron Toxico
It's been nearly 20 years since Texaco left Ecuador, but evidence of its presence remains in the form of toxic black gunk in the soil and water. The oil company spent three decades drilling for oil and then dumping oil waste into the pits, and when it left in 1993, its cursory efforts at cleaning it up simply weren’t enough.
 
Pools of waste are still visible in what was once pristine jungle, and the contaminants have seeped into nearby water systems. Residents blame the black ooze for a host of problems including high cancer rates, headaches and skin ailments.
 
Residents of the region are angry. Villagers got sick from the pollution left behind, and filed suit against Texaco, which was acquired by Chevron in 2001. Though their case was thrown out of U.S. court on the grounds that it shouldn't be tried in America, they have since reformulated it and filed in Ecuador.
 
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa supports the lawsuit, calling Chevron's failure to take full responsibility for Texaco's actions "a crime against humanity."
 
"The damage caused by Texaco is still causing harm more than 18 years after Texaco ceased operating, and will continue to do so for centuries until it is cleaned up," says Steven Donziger, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.
 
The New York Times explains:
Citing scientific studies, the plaintiffs claim that toxic chemicals from Texaco’s waste pits, including benzene, which is known to induce leukemia, have leached for decades into soil, groundwater and streams. A report last year by Richard Cabrera, a geologist and court-appointed expert, estimated that 1,400 people in this jungle region — perhaps more — had died of cancer because of oil contamination. 
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Related Topics: Benzene, Oil & Gas, Pollution

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anonymous
Anonymous 07/29/2009 02:31 AM

I live in Canada and it seems that this is an event that happened already with Shell BP and the Ogoni's in Nigeria. So instead of allowing this to continue on while countless die and are persecute by Chevron, WHAT CAN WE DO NOW?? The more we pretend it is someone else's fault the longer it will take, which will be too late! Let the company that was hired to do the job (Texaco) fix the mess. If it happened in America it would be called a genocide, but if it is not our backyard it is called a.... More

anonymous
Anonymous 05/23/2009 23:25 PM

Why does CVX get credit for all this mess while the most open and notorious offender (Petroequador) gets a pass?

anonymous
Anonymous 05/22/2009 19:12 PM

Chevron needs to stop that nonsense, take responsibility for that mess and clean it up. Drinking water is contaminated, people are dying of cancer and skin diseases, their lives are destroyed. Denying, downplaying and manipulating- that’s all Chevron can do. This cannot go unpunished!
To find out more, go to this blog: http://www.thechevronpit.blogspot.com

anonymous
Mofilms 05/21/2009 14:43 PM

It truly is tragic to see what has happened to the people and the land in Northern Ecuador. If you would like to learn more about the situation and what can be done to help, please check out Mofilms' short documentary 'Justicia Now!. FREE DOWNLOAD available at www.mofilms.org

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