Should ships have hazardous substances removed before they are consigned to the scrap heap? Sounds like a no-brainer, but the answer is far from straightforward, as a controversial decision by the International Maritime Organization reveals.
Human rights campaigners have condemned the IMO鈥檚 decision not to require pre-cleaning of ships, just as an Indian government report revealed that 1 in 6 workers scrapping ships in there show signs of the killer lung disease asbestosis.
It is one of the most dangerous industries to work in, says Paul Bailey of the International Labour Organization, especially as the vast majority of ships are now being scrapped in developing countries. As well as asbestos ships often contain PVC, heavy metals and antifouling agents.
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Asbestos is legal to import and reuse in India. 鈥淭hey import hundreds of thousands of tonnes each year,鈥� says Bailey. Banning import and requiring pre-cleaning wouldn鈥檛 help, he believes: owners would just take their ships elsewhere, so the responsibility must rest with them, he says.
