French military vessel Clemenceau

 

Greenpeace today celebrated President Jacques Chirac's decision to call back the decommissioned toxic aircraft carrier, the Clemenceau, to France from its journey to the ship-breaking yards in Alang, India.

The ship left France on December 31, 2005, under a huge cloud of controversy after Greenpeace and other organisations launched a campaign to stop the Clemenceau's export to India to be broken up because it contains a toxic cocktail of asbestos, PCBs and heavy metals. Greenpeace declared that the quantities of hazardous wastes still on board deemed the shipment as illegal trade under the Basel Convention - the international treaty that prohibits the export of toxic wastes from developed nations to non-OECD countries.

"This is a huge victory for the environment, and for the campaign headed up by Greenpeace and other organisations," said Pascal Husting, Greenpeace France Executive Director. "In today's globalised world it is vital that nations, such as France and India, co-operate to uphold global justice and not shamelessly pass on their responsibility to those in vulnerable areas of the planet."

Yesterday, the government representative on the Council of State - the French Supreme Court  recommended the suspension of the transfer of the Clemenceau to India, pointing out the possibility that European law may have been violated. President Chirac announced the final decision to retrieve the aircraft carrier earlier today. Greenpeace also welcomes Chirac's announcement that France will work with its partners to develop a European infrastructure for decontaminating decommissioned ships in Europe before eventually sending them for scrapping to Asia.

The Clemenceau was one of the largest ships to be sent for scrap but every year a vast decrepit armada bearing a dangerous cargo of toxic substances including asbestos, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and heavy metals, ends up in Asian ship breaking yards (Bangladesh, India, China and Pakistan) where they are cut up using the crudest of methods - taking a huge toll on human health and the local environment.

"The Clemenceau became the icon of toxic trade abuse between the developed world and developing countries. With President Chirac's decision, it now becomes a sign of how governments, when pressurised by public opinion, can take corrective action," said Martin Besieux, Greenpeace International Toxics Campaigner. "This incident should set the precedent not just for ship-breaking, but for all toxic trade."

 

For more information visit www.greenpeaceweb.org/shipbreak

For further information please contact:

Pascal Husting, Executive Director, Greenpeace France, +33 673 892 319
Martin Besieux, Greenpeace International Toxics Campaigner, +32 496 161 585
Ramapati Kumar, Greenpeace India Toxics Campaigner, +91 98 455 35 414
Vivek Sharma, Greenpeace India Communications, +91 934 378 8424
Mhairi Dunlop, Greenpeace International Communications, +44 7801 212 960
Photos available from Franca Michienzi, Photo Desk +31 653 819 255
Video available from Michael Nagasaka, Video Desk +31 646 166 309

 

 

French military vessel Clemenceau

 

French military ship loaded with hundreds of tonnes of deadly asbestos boarded by Greenpeace volunteers on route to India

12-01-2006 Greenpeace volunteers intercepted and boarded the French Aircraft carrier, the Clemenceau, raising the stakes in the growing international row over the decommissioning of the Clemenceau, which has been sent to India for decommissioning despite widespread outrage at the high levels of hazardous materials, including hundreds of tonnes of asbestos it contains.

At 07.20am this morning, two Greenpeace volunteers boarded the toxic laden carrier 50 nautical miles from the coast of Egypt in International waters. The volunteers are currently on the ship's mast with banners declaring: "ASBESTOS CARRIER: STAY OUT OF INDIA".

The Indian Supreme Court Monitoring Committee has already acknowledged that the arrival of the Clemenceau in India would be a violation of the Basel Convention, the international treaty preventing the trade in hazardous materials. Greenpeace is now calling on Egypt to refuse permission for the Clemenceau to enter the Suez Canal and progress further towards its final destination of Alang, India.

The Clemenceau has been the subject of intense international debate, as the French government refuses to reconsider its decision to send the military aircraft carrier to India without prior decontamination. The ship had already been refused entry into Greece, when military personnel had to board the ship in the Mediterranean to return it to France.

Greenpeace volunteers demonstrated against the ship's departure from France, with non-violent protests in simultaneously in France and India.

"The Clemenceau presents an immediate danger to the Indian environment and to the workers at the Alang ship-breaking yard," said Jacob Hartmann, Greenpeace campaigner. "The French government has failed to decontaminate the ship, even to the standards they agreed to, let alone to international standards. We simply cannot allow the ship to get any closer to its destination. India has spoken, and they do not want this ship!"

In India, the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee proclaimed on 7 January that importing the Clemenceau to India would be considered a serious violation of the Basel Convention (1), after hearing the testimony of asbestos removal experts from officials from Technopure: the company originally contracted by the French government to decontaminate the ship, who stated that at least 500 tonnes of asbestos still remain onboard. (2)

Yesterday, in France, Greenpeace and the Ban Asbestos Network started court proceedings to remove the confidentiality clause from the contract on asbestos removal from the Clemenceau, so that details regarding toxic substances onboard may be revealed. The Court is expected to rule today.

"France has repeatedly tried to evade its responsibility regarding the Clemenceau," said Jim Puckett of the Basel Action Network. "Their standards for handling asbestos are amongst the highest in the world. But instead of investing in safe removal and disposal of the asbestos on the Clemenceau, they are trying to dupe the Indian government, and dump their toxic wastes onto the poorest of the poor of the world. This is absolutely REPREHENSIBLE; certainly not the kind of attitude one would expect of a supposedly civilised nation!"

Greenpeace is demanding that:

1. The French government agrees to take back the Clemenceau and decontaminate it thoroughly before allowing it to leave Europe.

2. The Indian government refuses to allow the Clemenceau permission to arrive in India as long as the ship is not thoroughly decontaminated.

3. The Egyptian government upholds its commitment to the Basel Convention, and refuses permission for the Clemenceau to transit through Egypt or to enter the Suez Canal and head further towards India until the Basel obligations are fulfilled.

Read more at: www.greenpeaceweb.org/shipbreak

For further information, please contact:
Greenpeace Press Office in London : 0207 865 8255
Jacob Hartmann, Greenpeace Nordic, (mobile) +4528109020 or Sat phone +87 07 63 96 33 85
Jim Puckett, Basel Action Network, +1 206 652 5555 Martin Besieux in Egypt, Greenpeace international toxics campaigner + 32 96161585
Ramapati Kumar, Greenpeace India Toxics Campaigner, +91 98 455 35 414
Mhairi Dunlop, Greenpeace International Communications, +44 7801 212 960
Vivek Sharma, Greenpeace India Communications, +91 934 378 8424

Photos available from Greenpeace press office 0207 865 8255

Notes to editor

1. This means that at least 80% of the asbestos amount is still onboard. France claims that 115 tonnes of asbestos has been removed. Technopure claims that at least 500 tonnes is still onboard. This means that at least 615 tonnes of asbestos were onboard the Clemenceau originally.

2. As per decision VII/26 taken at the COP7 meeting of the Basel Convention, end-of-life ships are considered 'waste' and it is irrelevant that the Clemenceau is a 'war ship'.

3. Egypt has already officially said that it would uphold the Basel Convention for ships heading for breaking yards going through the canal. Egypt has stated that prior notification procedures should be implemented when such ships transit through the Suez Canal. Failing compliance with those requirements, Egypt as a party to the convention, shall consider such a crossing an illegal one in line with the Basel Convention provisions.

 

 

 

Ship breaking, Alang, India

On Thursday 11 November the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee will release a report calling for urgent action to eradicate the practice of UK ships being sent to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China and Turkey for disposal.

All large ships contain hazardous materials like asbestos, PCBs, waste oils and fuels and are currently broken in developing countries, where there is virtually no protection for either workers health or the environment. In many of these countries ships are simply beached and materials like asbestos are removed by workers without protective clothing. Gas torches are used for cutting metals even when fuel is present and PVC cables are burnt in the open air. Oils and liquid wastes drain directly into the sea.

Following the import of four rusting US military ships to Hartlepool and the subsequent government refusal to grant a licence for their disposal here, Greenpeace drew attention to the fact that Britain was guilty of regularly dumping similar ships on developing countries. On 23 March 2004 Greenpeace, Peter Mandelson and the GMB launched the START ship recycling in Britain campaign demanding that

1. The UK government supports the development of purpose-designed and built, state of the art ship recycling facilities in Britain.

2. The government brings in a policy to ensure that government-owned vessels will be entirely recycled within the EU at state of the art facilities.

3. The government should seek to persuade British ship owners to recycle their vessels at state of the art facilities within the EU and must urgently explore ways of compelling all EU ship owners to dispose of their ships at such facilities.

Greenpeace campaigner Mark Strutt said: "Greenpeace welcomes the Environment Committee's report and agrees with its conclusions that dismantling British ships in wholly inadequate conditions in Asia or Turkey is unacceptable and must be stopped as a matter of urgency."

He added: "We hope the government heeds the recommendations of the Committee and ensures that from now on all government-owned vessels are dismantled in the UK.

He concluded: "They should support the development of purpose designed, state of the art ship recycling facilities in the UK and put pressure on commercial ship owners to cease sending ships contaminated with hazardous materials like asbestos, PCB and waste oils to developing countries."

Further information
Greenpeace has broadcast quality footage and stills of ships being broken on the beaches in India, Pakistan and Turkey. To get copies or to arrange an interview contact Greenpeace UK press office on 020 7865 8255.

Ship breaking in Alang, India

Peter Mandelson MP, Greenpeace and the GMB today (Tuesday 23rd March) called for a state of the art ship recycling industry to be developed in Britain and for the government to stop British naval ships being broken up on the beaches of Bangladesh and India.

The joint initiative known as 'START Ship Recycling' also called for government action at a European level to ensure that all EU ships are only decommissioned and recycled at specialist European shipyards.

Between now and 2015, the European Commission estimates that up to 250 ships need to be recycled every year (1). By 2007 new laws after the Erika oil spill mean at least 1300 single-hulled tankers will need to be phased out and scrapped.

These vessels are mainly made up of recyclable steel but they also contain a range of toxic materials including asbestos, PCBs, fuel oil and lead which need to be removed under well-regulated conditions to protect workers and the environment. This represents a major opportunity for developing a state of the art British ship recycling industry.

The alternative is unacceptable in human and environmental terms. British naval ships and commercial vessels have been broken on the beaches of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan under horrific conditions with few or no health and safety or environmental controls. Asbestos is often removed by hand with no protective equipment, and fire and explosions are commonplace

The Rt Hon Peter Mandelson MP, former Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, said:

"The conditions for workers in these developing countries are appalling and I know that people will be as shocked I was to discover what is happening. British firms and workers have the experience and potential to recycle UK ships in conditions that protect employees, their communities and the environment alike. Government must now seize the chance to end the mistakes of the past and to encourage a world-class ship recycling industry that will create well-paid, highly skilled British jobs."

Greenpeace UK Executive Director Stephen Tindale said,

"It is a disgrace to the UK that British naval vessels are scrapped on the beaches of India by unprotected workers under appalling environmental conditions. Britain must take an international lead in recycling ships and support the development of purpose-designed and built, state of the art facilities in the UK."

GMB spokesperson Julie Elliot said,

"As a union that has seen many members die from asbestosis, we cannot accept that UK ships are being scrapped under these conditions. The UK Government and British ship owners have a moral obligation to ensure that government-owned vessels will only be decommissioned in state-of-the-art facilities."

In the 1970s, ship breaking was concentrated in Europe but the costs of upholding environmental and health and safety standards increased and the shipping industry moved to poorer Asian states. Ship owners sending their vessels to Asia for decommissioning can extract an average of US$ 1.9 million profit per vessel because the steel is taken for recycling and the dismantling and disposal costs are very small.

The UK Government currently owns 107 large vessels and these can be kept within the EU for recycling (2). Even where military vessels are sold to foreign navies it is possible for the Ministry of Defence to place conditions on the fate of such vessels and it could conceivably insist on recycling within the EU at state of the art facilities.

In 2000, two Royal Navy ships - the Olwen and the Olna - were decommissioned at the Indian ship-breaking yard at Alang where they were broken on an open beach under appalling conditions. Currently HMS Intrepid, a landing vessel which saw service during the Falklands, is berthed in Portsmouth naval base awaiting disposal.

The three principle elements of the START Ship Recycling initiative are:

1. UK Government to support the development of purpose-designed and built, state of the art ship recycling facilities in Britain.
2. An immediate public commitment that British Government owned vessels will be entirely recycled within the EU at state of the art facilities. This commitment could be made immediately and should include HMS Intrepid.
3. The Government should seek to persuade British ship owners to recycle their vessels at state of the art facilities within the EU and must urgently explore ways of compelling all EU ship owners to dispose of their ships at such facilities.

Sources:

1. European Commission 2001.'Technological and Economic Feasibility Study of Ship Scrapping in Europe.
2. The Government owns 107 large ships, the vast majority of which are naval. This consists of 3 aircraft carriers, 1 amphibious ship, 11 destroyers, 21 frigates, 22 mine counter measure vehicles, 23 patrol vessels, 1 ice patrol vessel, 3 hydrographic vessels and 22 auxiliaries.
3. There are approximately 1,700 ships over 100 tonnes registered under a UK flag. Of these 800 are over 500 Gross tonnes. In addition there are 1,300 single hulled tankers globally, many of which will require decommissioning in the near future. The European Commission predicts that up to 250 European ships will require scrapping every year. (Including accession countries).
4. 
   

For more information please contact:
Greenpeace UK Press Office on 020 7865 8255
Peter Mandelson MP's office on 020 7219 3000
Julie Elliot GMB on 07967459075

 

Venue arrangements:
A press conference outlining the START ship recycling in Britain initiative will be held in the Attlee Suite at Portcullis House, Westminster, SW1 (entrance on Victoria Embankment opposite Westminster Bridge) at 10.15am on Tuesday 23rd March 2004.

Attendees should be aware that they will need to pass through the House of Commons security search at the entrance to Portcullis House and should leave time accordingly.

Publication date: March 2004

Summary
Greenpeace has been campaigning on the issue of shipbreaking for almost 10 years. The campaign has centred on scrapping yards in Bangladesh, Pakistan and in particular the yard in Alang, India. Alang is situated in Gujarat province, in the North West corner of India, 300 miles North of Mumbai on India's North West coast.

Shipbreaking threatens beaches worldwide, like this one in India

Greenpeace calls on International Maritime Organisation to agree to mandatory controls on shipbreaking

Today (24th November) sees the start of the two week long annual meeting of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London (1).

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.

However, Greenpeace investigations in India and dialogue with ship-owners have found that the voluntary system is being systematically ignored (2). Greenpeace are urging the IMO to instead adopt a mandatory, global regulatory scheme (in line with the Basle Convention) - which would require ship owners to ensure that ships are cleaned of toxic materials before export.

The estimated 600 ships that are sent each year for scrapping still regularly contain high levels of substances such as asbestos and polychlorinated bisphenyls (PCB's) - which are known to damage both human health and the environment. In addition the presence of other substances, such as fuel or gases in tanks, increase the risk of explosions, putting the safety of workers at risk.

Strengthening ship breaking regulations would help protect the health of more than 100,000 workers worldwide and end the pollution of beaches and local communities in India, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan and Turkey. These five countries currently break approximately 90% of all end-of-life ships and have appalling environmental and worker safety standards.

Greenpeace's calls are being backed by shipbreakers in India and the authorities in India, Bangladesh and Turkey (3).

This failure of voluntary regulations has been highlighted by a series of Greenpeace exposes, including:

• The recent revelation that ex UK navy vessels 'Olwen' and 'Olna', were sent abroad in 2001 for scrapping without being decontaminated. The ships were rejected by the Turkish government because of the levels of toxics onboard, particularly asbestos. However after being diverted to Greece, renamed and reflagged, they ended up being broken on the beaches of the notorious scrap yards at Alang in India. Environmental safeguards are non-existent in Alang and there is almost no safety equipment for the workforce.
• The discovery by Greenpeace of plans to sell HMS Intrepid, an amphibious landing vessel currently berthed at Portsmouth, to an overseas breakers yard, believed to be in Turkey. HMS Intrepid contains 40 tonnes of asbestos as well as PCBs, lead and heavy fuel oil. The Ministry of Defence stated to media that the ship would not be cleaned before being sold.
• The discovery of a UK owned ship Genova Bridge, containing asbestos, on the beach at Alang, India's largest shipbreaking yard, during the current tour of India by Greenpeace flagship the Rainbow Warrior. The local government has since ordered that a full inspection of the Genova be conducted and details of toxic substances onboard documented.
• In October 2003 Greenpeace intercepted the French ship "Clemenceau" as it neared Aliaga shipbreaking yards in Turkey because it was concerned that the ship contained hazardous waste, such as asbestos. Greenpeace alerted the Turkish authorities, which led to the ship being returned for cleaning to France.

Ramapati Kumar, Greenpeace Campaigner onboard the Rainbow Warrior, currently anchored off Alang, the largest shipbreaking yard in India said, "Over 600 ships are sent to Asia every year to be scrapped. All these ships contain various toxic substances that pollute the environment when ships are broken up and expose workers to health risks".

"Of all the ships we found in Alang not a single one of them carried an inventory of hazardous substances, as promoted by the voluntary industry code of practice. It is absurd to think voluntary measures will ever prevent pollution and lethal accidents. The Indian supreme court, Indian shipbreakers and the Turkish authorites have already recognised this. Now it is time for the IMO to wake up to the reality of the shipbreaking industry and to lay down the law".

 

Notes
1) The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is the UN body charged with responsibility for ensuring 'safer ships' and 'cleaner seas.' The 23rd International Maritime Organisations Assembly takes place in London between November 24 and December 5.

2) The voluntary industry code of practice on ship recycling was agreed by the shipping industry in August 2001. Since then over 1,200 end-of-life ships have been exported for breaking. During the current Rainbow Warrior visit to Alang, India's largest shipbreaking yard, not a single ship awaiting breaking carried an inventory of hazardous substances, as promoted by the industry voluntary code of practice.

3)
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): for a copy of their letter to the IMO contact the Greenpeace press office. 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.

 

Shipbreaking threatens beaches worldwide

The Government was condemned today for operating a double standard over the breaking of naval ships in Britain. The Government and Environment Agency acted quickly to stop the breaking of the so-called 'ghost ships' from the US while simultaneously exporting old Royal Naval vessels abroad to be broken under appalling conditions.

Currently HMS Intrepid (1) - an amphibious landing vessel - is berthed at Portsmouth awaiting export to an overseas breakers yard, believed to be in Turkey (2). HMS Intrepid contains 40 tonnes of asbestos as well as PCBs, lead and heavy fuel oil (3).

Currently around 600 ships a year are broken world-wide. Around 90% of these go to one of five shipbreaking countries - India, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan and Turkey, where environmental and worker safety standards can be appalling.

If the Royal Navy ship is exported to any of the major shipbreaking countries it will break international law. 'The Basle Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal' bans the export of hazardous wastes from OECD to non-OECD countries.

If exported to Turkey, the one OECD shipbreaking country, the ship will contravene Turkish national law. In 1995 Turkey passed the 'Regulation to Control Hazardous Wastes' (287.08.1995 NO. 22387) which banned the importation of all types of hazardous wastes and means that ships for scrap containing hazardous wastes like asbestos and PCB's are not allowed to cross the Turkish border.

Two other Royal Naval vessels - the 'Olwen' and the 'Olna' (4) - which were sold to German shipbreaking company Eckhardt in 2000 ended up being broken on the beaches of the notorious scrap yards at Alang in India. This was after the ships were rejected by the Turkish government because of the levels of toxic material onboard (5). Environmental safeguards are non-existent in Alang and there is almost no safety equipment for a workforce that includes children.

Eckhardt exported the ships despite having signed tender documents which clearly state 'these vessels have been classed as hazardous/amber list as they contain quantities of hazardous materials such as asbestos. Hazardous waste can only be exported to countries to which the OECD decision applies'. The document also states that the toxic materials in the ship pose 'serious health hazards'.(6) Commenting on the situation, Blake Lee-Harwood, Campaigns Director for Greenpeace in the UK, said:

"The Government and Environment Agency are behaving like complete hypocrites - taking urgent action to stop foreign ships being broken in the UK while simultaneously allowing the Ministry of Defence to export contaminated ships to countries with much lower environmental standards."

"Britain should look after its own toxic ships or clean them up and export them as uncontaminated scrap. It's completely unacceptable that Royal Naval ships end up being broken by barefoot children with lump hammers in the Third World rather than dismantled using state of the art technology."

Greenpeace has written to Geoff Hoon, Secretary of State for Defence, and Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for the Environment, asking why Royal Naval vessels are being scrapped under such appalling conditions. Greenpeace is also seeking an assurance that in future all Royal Naval vessels will be scrapped in state of the art facilities in the UK or completely decontaminated and exported as clean scrap.

For more information, contact:

Simon Reddy on 07801 212970

Blake Lee Harwood on 07801 212969

or the Greenpeace press office on 0207 865 8255.

1) HMS "Intrepid" is an amphibious landing vessel, built in 1967 by John Brown & Co. (Clydebank) Ltd. Along with HMS Fearless, Intrepid continued to be used throughout the 1980's, including service in the Falklands War, and through to the late 1990's. The vessel is currently berthed at HMNB Portsmouth awaiting sale. According to information leaked to Greenpeace a 2001 British Navy inventory of asbestos on the HMS "Intrepid" reportedly found asbestos throughout the vessel, including asbestos insulation on pipework throughout the ship and the insulation on the 2 funnels. Further finds were in starter boxes, flange gaskets, deck-head lighting, electrical heaters and fire curtains.

2) The DSA. (Disposal Service Agency) is part of the British Ministry of Defence and organises all the sales of navy vessels to be scrapped. According to information leaked to Greenpeace the DSA is in negotiations to sell the HMS Intrepid on to a Turkish ship breaker "AGS" in Aliaga. Contact: Disposal Service Agency, Roger Pickford or Beverly Irving, 020 7305 3154, for further details on Royal Naval vessels being scrapped.

3) Source for statistics: Ministry of Defence. Note the Ministry of Defence has stated to media that they have no intention of cleaning the vessel before sale.

4) Before being taken out of service the Olwen and Olna were the two oldest and largest fast fleet tankers in the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries (RFA) flotilla, having entered RFA service in 1965 and 1966 respectively. Known as O class fuel replenishment ships, They were used for refuelling and re-supplying navy ships at sea. They last put to sea in July 1999 and November 1999 respectively. They were replaced by two new large fleet tanker ships RFA Wave Knight and FRA Wave Ruler, built by BAE Systems for the United Kingdom Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Wave Knight was commissioned in March 2003 and Wave Ruler in April 2003.

The Olwen and Olna were bought by a German company called Eckhardt (a broker which is specialised in the illegal export of scrap vessels to the Far East). The ships left the port of Portsmouth in the UK in February 2001 and were sold by Eckhardt to a Turkish scrap yard. The Turkish Ministry of Environment prohibited the import of the ships. Eckhardt then towed the ships to a Greek port, renamed them 'Kea' and 'Kos' and moved them through the Suez Canal to Alang in India where they arrived in July 2001. 

(5) A copy of a letter from the Turkish Ministry of Environment to Greenpeace, which confirms that the UK naval ships which German company Eckhardt intended to export to Turkey would not be allowed into Turkey for disposal as they contravened Turkish law, is available from the Greenpeace UK press office.

(6) Copies of the tender for the Olwen and Olna are available from Greenpeace UK Press Office.