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Shipping hazardous waste: implications for economically developing countries

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Abstract

Trade in hazardous waste has given rise to great concerns. One source of transboundary trade in hazardous waste is the ship-breaking industry. Though end-of-life vessels provide incentives to developing countries in the form of raw materials, these same developing countries are not only ill equipped to manage hazardous waste in an environmentally sound manner, but they also lack the resources to mitigate health impacts arising out of the handling of hazardous waste. These concerns of weaker economies have been addressed by the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. However, the shipping of vessels with hazardous waste for final disposal in developing countries continues. To illustrate the inequity involved in such negotiations, we present a case study of the French aircraft carrier “Le Clemenceau”, which was sent to a shipyard in Alang, India, for disposal. This vessel became the focus of attention given its transport of an unknown amount of toxic waste, including asbestos. Similarly, there are reports that large quantities of toxic waste are still being imported by India from countries that ban the use of this waste. The use, import, and export of these chemicals raise serious environmental and health concerns. This paper assesses the implications of shipping such hazardous waste to developing countries and emphasizes the need for promoting research to plug the gaps and for implementing stringent measures to check the trade in environmental pollutants.

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Notes

  1. Gujarat Maritime Board (2008). Retrieved on January 12, 2008, from http://www.gmbports.org/alang_statsrecyc.htm.

  2. Impacts and challenges of a large coastal industry. Alang–Sosiya Ship-Breaking Yard, Gujarat, India (2004). United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), “Coastal region and small island papers 17, UNESCO, Paris. Retrieved on February 1, 2007, from http://www.unesco.org/csi/pub/papers3/alang3.htm.

  3. Status of Ship breaking Workers in India, A Survey by International Metalworkers’ Federation, IMF-FNV project in India, 2004–2007-A Report. Retrieved on February 1, 2007, from http://www.imfmetal.org/main/files/06042810465779/Shipbreaking_survey.pdf.

  4. Some of the publications are as follows: (1) Basel Action Network, articles on ship Recycling. Retrieved on February 6, 2007, from http://www.ban.org/Library/Editorials/060616_ship_recycling.html; (2) Economist, 12 October 2005, Vol. 377 Issue 8456, Special Section pp. 10–12; (3) Basel Action Network (2006) Briefing: France's Export of Decommissioned Aircraft Carrier Clemenceau in Violation of International and National Law. Retrieved on February 6, 2007, from http://www.ban.org/Library/ban_clemenceau_summary_of_violations.pdf; (4) Front line, Volume 23, Issue 02, Jan. 28–Feb. 10, 2006. Retrieved on February 1, 2007, from http://www.flonnet.com/fl2302/stories/20060210006601900.htm; (5) Hindu articles. Retrieved on February 1, 2007, from http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200602162072.htm and http://www.hindu.com/2006/02/07/stories/2006020705181300.htm; (6) Times article, Anger greets toxic liner ruling. Retrieved on January 24, 2007, from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,25689–2292750,00.html.

  5. Appointed by the Supreme Court of India vide order dated 14 October 2003 in WP No. 657. Supreme court monitoring committee on Hazardous waste management. Retrieved on January 24, 2007, from http://www.scmc.info/reports/quarterly_reports/le_clemenceu.htm.

  6. Decision VII/26 arrived at in October 2004 at the Seventh Conference of Parties stating as follows: “Noting that a ship may become waste as defined in Article 2 of the Basel Convention and at the same time it may be defined as a ship under other International Rules”.

  7. On 13 March 1996, the Secretary-General of the Basel Convention received the following communication from the U.S. government: “(1) It is the understanding of the United States of America that, as the Convention does not apply to vessels and aircraft that are entitled to sovereign immunity under international law, in particular to any warship, naval auxiliary, and other vessels or aircraft owned or operated by a State and in use on government, non-commercial service, each State shall ensure that such vessels or aircraft act in a manner consistent with this Convention, so far as is practicable and reasonable, by adopting appropriate measures that do not impair the operations or operational capabilities of sovereign immune vessels; and (2) It is the understanding of the United States of America that an exporting State may decide that it lacks the capacity to dispose of wastes in an ‘environmentally sound and efficient manner’ if disposal in the importing country would be both environmentally sound and economically efficient”.

  8. Final report submitted to the European commission Directorate General Environment; June, 2007. Retrieved on July 30, 2007 from http://www.ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/ships/pdf/ship_dismantling_report.pdf.

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Acknowledgements

This paper is a part of the project titled ‘Assessing impacts of TBT on multiple coastal uses’ financially supported by the European Commission under the Sixth Framework Programme (Contract no 510658). Insights received from the project titled ‘Role of institutions in global environmental change’ financially supported by the Asia Pacific Network through International START Secretariat were helpful in preparing the manuscript. The authors gratefully acknowledge the European Commission, Asia Pacific Network and International START Secretariat for the financial support. The authors also gratefully acknowledge valuable comments by two anonymous reviewers on an earlier version of the paper, which have helped to enrich the content of the paper. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the IDGEC workshop in Bali, Indonesia held from 6–9 December 2006. The authors acknowledge all participants of the session for their feedback. Valuable feedback from the Editor-in-Chief, Joyeeta Gupta, is also gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Western Regional Centre, 233/GH-2, Vasudha Housing Colony, Alto-St. Cruz, Bambolim, Goa, 403202, India

    Sangeeta Sonak & Asha Giriyan

  2. A/G-26, Kamat Arcade, Caranzalem, Goa, 403002, India

    Mahesh Sonak

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  1. Sangeeta Sonak
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Correspondence to Sangeeta Sonak.

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Sonak, S., Sonak, M. & Giriyan, A. Shipping hazardous waste: implications for economically developing countries. Int Environ Agreements 8, 143–159 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10784-008-9069-3

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