Dive Summary:
- European Parliament proposed legislation that would ban vessels from sitting on shore as they are dismantled for scrap, but the European Council opposed the ban amid objections and mounting pressure from South Asia.
- The South Asian countries, who are responsible for 70% of the global ship recycling industry, include India, Pakistan and Bangladesh who collectively employ one million workers in this multi-billion dollar industry.
- Ship recycling has been criticized for its hazardous waste and safety issues by advocacy groups who are pushing for shipbreaking to occur on piers or while dry docked so water is not contaminated.
From the article:
"Asian scrap yards generated $6.3 billion from beaching last year, according to shipping-industry data provider Lloyd's List."
"Shipowners, recyclers and the three South Asian governments say a ban on beaching would be counterproductive, undermining existing international efforts to improve the industry's performance and exacting a huge cost to the economies..."
"South Asian ship breakers typically will recycle not only the steel, but the contents of a ship, for example its furniture and dinnerware, as well."
Source: waste dive. By Nicole Wrona. 14 June 2013
http://www.wastedive.com/news/european-ship-recycling-ban-crumbles-under-pressure-from-south-asia/141350/
No comments:
Post a Comment