TOXIC
FREE ASIA TOUR
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TOUR
LOGBOOK
December 10 - Blockade of Vessel Destined for Scrapping
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Having chained themselves to an anchor line overnight, Greenpeace activists successfully delayed the beaching of cargo vessel 'Clare' destined for breaking at Alang - the world’s largest shipbreaking yard in India.The export of hazardous ships-for-scrap to Asian shipbreaking yards, such as the highly polluted and unsafe facility in Alang, is effectively toxic waste dumping. |
| In the four days of protests by the Rainbow Warrior in Alang, Greenpeace counted more than 60 ships in various stages of breaking. Of these, several ships were positively identified as having OECD operator/ownership, including Greek, German,UK, and American. The exports hazardous ships-for-scrap from rich OECD countries, in particular from European Union(EU) nations, to Asia is in breach of the Basel Convention and violates the spirit and intent of the EU law banning exports of hazardous wastes to poor non-OECD countries. | |
"With
our direct action against the exports of toxic ships-for- scrap we have
highlighted that it's business as usual for toxic waste traders. The
Basel Convention should sincerely address this blatant violation of
the environmental and occupational rights of the people of poorer countries,"
said Nityanand Jayaraman, Asia Toxic campaigner on board the Rainbow
Warrior.
| Old ships contain large amounts of many hazardous substances, including asbestos and toxic heavy metals and biocides.These poisons are released to the environment and the workers are exposed to them during the process of breaking. Over the years, rich nations have stopped breaking their ships in their own countries for fear of environmental and worker safety liability. The dirty industry has now moved to poorly regulated areas in Asia. |
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Greenpeace
calls the Indian government to implement the 1997 Supreme Court import
ban on hazardous waste and live up to its commitment to the Basel Convention.
