Shipping Hazardous Waste

By BANI, BELA, BILS, YPSAMembers of the

NGO Platform on Shipbreaking

Exporting Harm

• It makes economic sense to transfer dirty industries to developing countries

Existing Situation in South Asia Alang

• Hazardous Waste Rules under Environmental Protection Act

• Accident Rate:2/1000 workers as per govt. statistics

• 16 % of workers exposed to asbestos as per govt. statistics

• Prior decontamination in the country of export as per Supreme Court order (2003/2007)

• Send back clause as per Supreme Court order

Chittagong

• Environment Conservation Act & Rules

• Between 2005-2007, 32 deaths as per shipbreakers admission

• No information available on asbestos exposure

• Pre-cleaning prior to transboundary movement as per MoEF and the first draft of the MoS policy

• Ships have been denied entry

Pre-cleaning position in South Asia

• “At the international Level, India should participate in international meetings on ship breaking at the Level of the International Maritime Organization and the Basel Convention's Technical Working Group with a clear mandate for the decontamination of ships of their hazardous oil, gas, asbestos and PCBs prior to exports to India for breaking. (Para 8.subpara 16, Supreme Court order 6 September, 2007)

• Pre-cleaning prior to transboundary movement as per Bangladesh Ministry of Environment of Forests

Bangladesh Policy Process

• Lack of consultation and coordination

• MOEF and MOLE sidelined

• Industry driven

• Workers voice ignored