BP sued in Kenya over alleged toxic waste from 1980s oil exploration

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - The High Court in Kenya ruled Thursday that a class action lawsuit can move forward against multinational oil and gas company BP alleging that decades-long toxic waste disposal contaminated drinking water in northern Kenya.

The lawsuit, filed by 299 petitioners in February at the Land and Environment Court in Isiolo, alleged that BP caused serious environmental pollution by improperly disposing of and discharging toxic waste from oil exploration activities in parts of northern Kenya.

It claimed that the waste, which contained radioactive materials, contaminated ground water and sickened or killed hundreds of residents and livestock nearby.

"During operations at the sites, hazardous and toxic contaminants were improperly disposed, discharged and released into the environment," the petition said.

The exploration work was carried out in the 1980s by Amoco Corporation, which was later acquired by BP in 1998. In that period, Amoco drilled several dry wells near Kargi and Kalacha in the Chalbi Desert in northern Kenya.

The petition alleged that more than 500 residents living near the exploration sites died from cancers and other illnesses linked to drinking water contaminated with heavy metals and carcinogens. Court documents cite contaminants including radium isotopes, arsenic, lead and nitrates allegedly dumped in unlined pits or left exposed.

The suit also accuses multiple Kenyan government ministries and agencies responsible for environment, water, mining and health of failing to act despite evidence of contamination.

The case is scheduled to resume in May.

BP has not issued a public response and declined to comment.