Green Ships

From Basel Action Network Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Overview

Every year, hundreds of ships make their final voyage from the high seas to the recycling yards where workers dismantle them for metal and other reusable components. These ships tend to have been deemed unsafe, their steel structures fatigued from trans-ocean voyages.[1] Due to the high cost of repairs and modifications, ship owners find it more profitable to recycle a ship after about 20 years that to further extend its life.[1] Furthermore, finding cargo for older ships can prove difficult, if not impossible, due to insurance companies’ refusal to provide insurance coverage on cargo-booked ships over 20 years old.[1] Asia hosts the majority of the world’s ship recyclers. Together, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and China recycle approximately 89% of ldt scrapped worldwide.[1] Ship recycling costs are comparatively higher in the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA) than in Asia because of strict regulations relating to environmental issues and occupational safety and health issues. Thus, ship-recycling facilities in the EU and the USA have difficulty competing with their Asian rivals.[2] Greenpeace, the GMB union and Peter Mandelson (the MP for Hartlepool) joined forces yesterday to urge the British government to scrap all of Britain's redundant warships at home instead of allowing the work to be done on beaches in southeast Asia. (Vidal) While recycling ships is an excellent way to reuse and save materials for future use, especially in developing countries, the toxic materials applied to the ships can be extremely dangerous if not treated and handled safely.

Toxins: Health and Environmental Concerns

TBT

Specifically, Tributyltin (TBT) is a highly toxic substance used in the anti-fouling paints applied to the hulls of ships. “Fouling” is the attachment of marine organisms to ship hulls.[3] TBT, which made its first appearance in anti-fouling paints in the 1950’s, presents a danger to both marine life and to humans. [3] Its basic substance, tin, replaced copper, which was a normal additive at the time. Effective for a longer time period than copper due to its slow degradation in water, tin makes for a more durable paint, but is also more poisonous.[3]

The TBT-based anti-fouling paints prove very effective in preventing organisms from attaching to ship hulls. Possibly more notably, the paint poisons organisms attached to the hull, leading them to detach and float vulnerably in the water where they become easy targets for predators. An endocrine disrupting chemical, TBT can cause severe reproductive defects in aquatic organisms (tightly regulated in developed nations). [1] In particular, TBT compounds pose the greatest risk to Gram-positive bacteria, fish algae, mussels, mollusks and fungi.[4] A study by Wu et al. conducted on the Puget Sound in Washington state assessed TBT contamination and found links between mollusk health and high levels of TBT. Wu et al. discovered the worst contamination at the Anacortes shipyard and at a site 1.3 km away.[5] Subsequently, they found that high levels of TBT in the sediment had physically altered mollusks in these locations. On shores near the shipyards and harbors of the Port of Seattle, mollusks had high imposex scores.[5] It is true that the Port of Seattle has a large number of shipyards and harbors, but many other harbors were also found to have TBT contaminated sediment. Chemical and biological measures were at background levels within less than 2 km of the shipyard in Anacortes and less than 8km of the Port of Seattle.[5] TBT levels spike sharply where ships frequently anchor. When a ship is close to shore and anchors (as in a harbor), the ship's hull rubs against the sediment. Thus, it is no surprise that the most severely contaminated sites were commercial harbors and shipyards.[5]

Contaminated marine life that detaches from ship hulls becomes nourishment for other sea animals and for humans. This can cause adverse health effects as TBT travels up the food chain. Consumption of contaminated seafood by humans has been known to cause severe skin and mucous membrane irritation.[4]

Although many countries have banned the use of TBT due to its dangerous effects on environmental and aquatic life, many countries lack strict or clear guidelines on the use of TBT. Faced with the lack of international TBT restrictions and the increased recognition of the problems associated with TBT, several countries implemented national legislation to limit the use of TBT in the mid-1980’s.[3] With TBT concentrations in water and sediment at alarmingly high levels (mainly from pollution from ships flying non-Japanese flags), Japan imposed an international ban on TBT anti-fouling.[3] After 1988, state action was unnecessary to prohibit the use of TBT, which most likely accounts for the lack of TBT-specific legislation in the other states. Furthermore, because anti-fouling paints are generally considered pesticides subject to regulation under a state’s generic pesticide laws, specific legislation banning TBT may be considered redundant in some states.[3] Although TBT paints more expensive, economic effects and arguments did not stop the quick change.[3]

Despite the efforts of Japan and some other nations, TBT-painted boats remained in use in 2003. In 2004, TBT self-polishing copolymer paints acted as a covering for 70-80% of the world’s ships.[4] Nevertheless, this ban did not take effect until much later, and even then, it did not apply to all countries. Thus, countries not regulated by national or regional legislation could continue to use organotin compounds, specifically in national routes.[4]

Polychlorinated Biphenyl's (PCB)

Polychlorinated Biphenyl’s (PCB’s) pose a threat to human health, both while in use and during their disposal process. Found in ship electrical components, cables, vent ducts, misc. gaskets, insulation materials, adhesives, paint, and various rubber and plastic components,[1]PCB's must be appropriately handled to ensure environmental and human safety. Exposure to PCB’s has been linked with the development of various cancers as well as with disruptions to the immune, reproductive, nervous, and endocrine systems.[1] As with TBT, PCB's adversely affect human health through direct contact as well as through ingestion of contaminated marine life. Most carcinogenic PCB’s tend to build up in the flesh of fish and other animals, and people who eat contaminated fish face an even greater health threat than the workers of the shipwrecking industry.[1] To protect environmental health, PCB’s must be properly incinerated or stored in special landfills where they will not leach into groundwater.[1] The easiest action might seem to be discontinuing the use of PCB’s. However, the need for PCB’s will not cease without a viable alternative. PCB’s are currently used for high heat resistance, inflammability, chemical stability, and high boiling point.[1]

Lead

Lead has been known and proven to cause severely dangerous effects on humans. In knowing the extremely harmful effects lead has on humans, it is continued to be used on parts commonly used in vessels. Lead is found in batteries, paints, and components of motors, generators, piping, and cables.[1] Lead has many similar and different detrimental effets on children and adults. Health effects of lead exposure in children cause: learning difficulties, mental retardation, delayed neurological and physical development. In adults, lead affects the nervous system, impairing hearing, vision, and muscle coordination.[1]

Bilge Water

Bilge water is an oily waste which is an accumulation of potentially polluting liquids in lowest part of ships hull. During the mothballing or dismantling process, bilge water increases because of accumulated rainwater, cooling water, and containment water and used during ship breaking process.[1] Bilge water contains a mixture of toxic substances that are applied to the ship and it's components. Bilge water contains oil, cargo residues, inorganix salts, arsenic, copper, chromium, lead, and mercury (often spilt into ocean during shipwrecking process). Oil and other wastes threaten overall health and survival or many species and organisms, some of which are endangered.[1]

Asbestos

Asbestos is another serious mineral that threatens human health when inhaled. Asbestos can be found in ship insulation, asbestos fibers pose serious health risk (cancers and lung diseases) to workers who inhale the fibers.[1] Asbestos only known cause of mesothelioma which is cancer of lungs, chest cavity, and abdomen.[1]

Occupational

Many of the ship-breaking facilities are located in developing countries, though unfortunately, many of the ship-breaking sites are more concerned with the profitability of the steel and ship parts than with the safety of the ship-breaking process. Subsequently, occupational safety and health issues emerge—particularly in association with the dismantling of beached ships in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.[2] Ship-breaking is a very dangerous process which entails exposure to harmful toxins, heavy, falling parts, and requires precaution using difficult tools. Ship recycling workers in these countries do not wear protective equipment such as: helmets, masks, goggles, and no signs of danger.[2] In addition to the lack of safety equipment, there is no required training or supplied training to educate the workers of the potential harms involved with the ship-breaking operation. Majority of workers have no training with blowtorches or with hazardous substances involved in ship recycling. [2] Moreover, the risk for inhaling noxious substances continues through the ship-breaking process and after when the parts are displaced. Toxic fumes released during blowtorch cutting process and afterwards paint and coatins continue to smolder.[2] Unfortunately, there is no structured training or protective equipment given to the ship breaking workers in these developing countries such as the ship breaking site in Alang, India, for that reason it is not uncommon for them to suffer from major accidents. The use in ship breaking in developing countries is especially harmful in terms of child labor laws due to lack of guidelines in Bangladesh.

Environmental

Many ships are covered in hazardous substances that endanger the environment. Carcinogenic and toxic substances such as Polychlorinated Biphenyls ("PCBs"), asbestos, tributanlytin ("TBT"), lead, oil, and polluted ship water are released directly into the ocean.[1] Though the use of TBT base anti-fouling paints have long been banned, the lingering effects of TBT are vry dangerous. Sediment contamination still in effect and endangers marine and estuarine quality of environment.[4] Many studies have discovered an existence of TBT in commonly used waterways and a large presence of TBT in the sediment near ports. Typically, navigation channels show low levels of TBT compared to sediments in harbor locations, specifically close to dockyards.[4] The use of TBT was to discourage the adhesion of marine life to the ship's hull, suggestively to preserve the lifetime of the marine organisms. Marine biofouling defined as undesirable accumulation of marine organisms on solid surfaces, i.e. ships hull or mechanical equipment, immersed in seawater.[4] No matter the reasoning behind the application of TBT, the lasting effects, regardless of how minimal, are gravely destructive to the environment. Extremely low concentrations of TBT still greatly affect marine organisms.[4] 1ng of TBT cause imposex and intersex on snails.[4] In order to control the exposure of TBT within the sediment and during the ship-breaking process, many different environmentally safe processes will need to be invoked. In ports, TBT is released to marine environment via ship hulls and only measure to prevent is replace with environmental friendly antifouling systems.[4] Although, little or no reduction of TBT concentrations were seen in sediments even after several years after TBT prohibition.[4]

Ship breaking Regulations

Conventions of Interest Subpage -->

[6]

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 Dodds, D. (2007). Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Environmental Effects of Shipwrecking and Possible Solutions Under India’s Environmental Regime. 20 Pac. McGeorge Global Bus. and Dev. L.J., 207, 208-236.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Chang, Y., N. Wang & O.S. Durak. (2010). Ship recycling and marine pollution. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 60, 1390-1396.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Gipperth, L. (2009). The legal design of the international and European Union ban on tributyltin antifouling paint: Direct and indirect effects. Journal of Environmental Management, 90, S86-S95.
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Stichnothe, H., W. Calmano, E. Arevalo, A. Keller & J. Thöming. (2005). TBT-contaminated Sediments: Treatment in a Pilot Scale. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 5(1), 21-29.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Evans, S.M., N. Barnes, A. C. Birchenough , M. S. Brancato & E. Hardman. (2001). Tributyltin contamination in two estuaries and adjacent ocean coasts: Puget Sound, Washington, and Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island (USA). Invertebrate Reproduction & Development, 39(3), 221-229. DOI:10.1080/07924259.2001.9652486
  6. Plunkett, John. "Sorrell accuses Murdoch of panic buying", The Guardian, London, 27 October 2005.