A TOXIC INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP (TIP)

The document details a scenario where Treeton Chemical, a U.S. firm, acquires Tossico Chemical in Italy during a period of intense 'greening' of European politics and the push for a unified internal market. Following the acquisition, it is revealed via a whistleblower that Tossico had improperly dumped 650 tons of toxic waste in Koko, Nigeria, using unscrupulous waste brokers. This leads to a major international scandal, with the Italian Environment Minister seeking $75 million in compensation and environmental groups placing Treeton on a 'Corporate Toxic Enemies List'.

• During the late 1980s, Western Europe experienced a surge in environmentalism, with 'green' political parties moving from the fringe to the center in countries including France, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, and West Germany.
• The 'Europe 1992' initiative aimed to complete the Internal Market by removing obstacles to the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital by the end of 1992, which triggered a wave of consolidation and mergers in the chemical industry.
• Treeton Chemical acquired a 55% stake in Tossico Chemical for $319 million on October 1, 1987, without conducting a full environmental risk assessment, relying instead on a standard indemnity provision.
• A whistleblower, former Tossico President Vincenzo Tanassi, revealed that he had arranged for the export of 650 tons of toxic waste (including PCBs, cyanide, toxic metals, and solvents) to Africa in October 1987 using brokers Ecomar and Jelly Wax.
• The Italian Environment Minister announced legal proceedings against Treeton-Tossico to recover an estimated $75 million in governmental costs for the transport, cleanup, and disposal of the waste.

APA

Gladwin, T. N. (1994). A TOXIC INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP (TIP). World Resources Institute. https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-181-0_full_version_english.pdf

Chicago

Gladwin, Thomas N. A TOXIC INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP (TIP). World Resources Institute, 1994. https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-181-0_full_version_english.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gladwin |first1=Thomas N. |title=A TOXIC INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP (TIP) |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=1994 |url=https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-181-0_full_version_english.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gladwin1994toxic, author = {Gladwin, Thomas N.}, title = {{A TOXIC INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP (TIP)}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {1994}, url = {https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-181-0_full_version_english.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }