Ship Recycling in Bangladesh

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Ship Recycling in Bangladesh

• Md. Shahjahan
• Director (Technical)
• Department of Environment
• Royal Park Residence, Dhaka
• 12.01.08

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Slides to follow

• Ship Breaking Environment Conservation Act, 1995
  and Environment Conservation Rules, 1997
• Concerns
• Hazardous Substances from Ship Breaking
• Effects of Marine Pollution
• Expectation/Recommendation
• Expectation from International Community

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Ship Breaking and ECA, 1995 ECR, 1997

• According to Environment Conservation Rules 1997,
  Ship Breaking falls under Orange B category,
  accordingly taking Environmental Clearance is
  mandatory under ECA, 1995 and ECR, 1997.
• There is a wrong Perception among the owners of
  ship breaking yards, but we are not against this
  industry

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Concerns

• Workers Health and Safety
• Inhuman working condition
• Lack of protective gears
• Absence of mechanized equipment
• Accidental death during the last 2 decades is
  more than 400
• Damage to Environment
• Hazardous materials from ships pollute
  surrounding environment, especially beach and
  surrounding marine environment.

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Hazardous Substances from Ship Breaking

• Asbestos fibers, dusts
• Heavy and toxic metals (lead, mercury, cadmium,
  copper, zinc, etc.)
• lack of hazard communication (storage, labeling,
  material safety data sheets)
• batteries fire-fighting liquids
• PCBs PVC (combustion products)
• volatile organic compounds (solvents)
• compressed gas cylinders

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Effects of Pollution

• Destruction of coastal habitats and fish species.
• Drop in fish catch.
• Migration of fish species.
• Impact on the livelihoods of the fisher folks.
• Destruction of Mangrove forests/ecosystems

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Initiatives undertaken by Government of Bangladesh

• Project undertaken by UNDP and government,
  improved the working condition of the yards to
  some extent
• Ministry of Shipping has developed a draft Ship
  Breaking and Recycling Policy.

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Expectation/Recommendation

• A simplified Ship Breaking Guidelines (preferably
  in Bangla)
• A pilot model ship recycling yards to be
  established
• This model if proven acceptable to the
  entrepreneurs/government may be replicated in
  other yards
• Development of a model waste reception facility
  may also be developed and later replicated in
  other parts.

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Expectation/Recommendation (Cont..)

• The model ship recycling facility should be
  affordable for the local entrepreneurs, be labour
  intensive, so that labourer do not loose their
  employment opportunity.
• Should accommodate necessary equipments, such as
  cranes, pulleys and other basic items to make the
  working condition safer.

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Expectation from International Community/SBC/IMO/I
LO

• Pre-cleaning of ships before recycling should
  also be considered.
• Basel Convention Secretariat may explore options
  to help developing countries to identify and
  block the selling of black listed ships for
  recycling.

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Thank You