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Indian authorities allow illegal removal asbestos from Genova Bridge; Greenpeace steps up campaign for mandatory guidelines at the IMO

Alang/Ahmedabad/New Delhi, November 26, 2003 - Greenpeace today criticised Gujarat Pollution Control Board 's (GPCB) directive to Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) to remove asbestos and other hazardous waste on board Genova Bridge and store it at a landfill in the hinterlands of Gujarat as illegal and irresponsible because it does not address the illegality of the import of this hazardous waste.

"For one step forward GPCB has taken three steps back. GPCB has continuously violated the Polluter Pays principle and routinely assists the polluters by taking on the hazardous and pricey job of decontamination upon themselves at state expense. Instead GPCB should immediately contact V shipping International to come to Alang and execute the clean-up, as they are liable for the safe removal and re-import of asbestos and other hazardous waste on board Genova Bridge according to Basel Convention and Indian Supreme Court directives." said Ramapati Kumar, Greenpeace Campaigner.

GPCB has clearly ignored the Supreme Court order on Hazardous Waste Management Rules (Amendment, 2003) which clearly directs that the "SPCBs (state pollution control board) should ensure that the ship should be properly decontaminated by the shipowner before breaking". The same order also reiterates the ban on import of 29 items including Waste Asbestos (Dust and Fibers) following the Government of India ban on import of asbestos waste (dust/fibre) in 1998.

"When broken with hammer and chisel by an unprotected worker, as is the present practice in the Indian ship-breaking yards, asbestos breaks into fine dust and fibre, that is responsible for the deadly disease 'asbestosis' amongst the workers. Now that the cat is out of the bag, GMB should initiate a health study amongst the workers to understand the extent of damage to human health caused by toxic substances" said Martin Besieux of Greenpeace Belgium from on board the Rainbow Warrior.
Rainbow Warrior has completed over a forthnight's toxic patrolling of the high seas near Alang and will sail for Mumbai soon to participate in the 19th anniversary of the Bhopal Gas disaster.

"For us these two weeks were heartening, as we not only exposed British double standards but also managed to get GPCB to inspect and acknowledge for the first time that the ship for scrap have hazardous waste inherent in its structure. We hope that the Indian authorities will ensure that no end-of-life vessels will enter Alang unless they are free of toxics as required by both international and national law", said Cosmo Wassenaar, Captain of the Rainbow Warrior.
Meanwhile at the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) annual meeting Greenpeace is urging IMO delegates to strengthen and improve regulations covering the breaking of end-of-life ships, such as the US "ghost ships". In 2001 the shipping industry agreed to voluntary measures on ship recycling. Now the governments that are party to the IMO are close to adopting a similar set of voluntary measures.

Notes

a) The Iron Steel Scrap and Shipbreakers Association of India have made a strong appeal to the IMO parties for a mandatory regime on shipbreaking. (Nov. 12, 2003).

b) In Bangladesh the State Minister of Environment and Forest, Mr. Jafrul Chowdhury, told Greenpeace recently that "shipowners need to decontaminate their end-of-life-ships before they are exported ". In addition the State Minister called on the IMO to follow the guidance provided by the Basel Convention that end-of-life-ships need to be regarded as waste.

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Read live updates from the Rainbow Warrior's voyage in India in the crew weblog from the Rainbow Warrior