Toxic substances on board ships

Asbestos
Sandwiched between steel plates in the walls or doors, asbestos is used in the construction of ships because of its insulating and fire resistant properties. Listed as a hazardous substance in Annex 1 to the Basel convention, it is deadly to human health. It easily breaks up into dust and fibres, which stay suspended in the air for long periods of time. Prolonged contact with asbestos leads to slow but fatal diseases, symptoms of which may not show up for many years. Asbestos dust causes formation of scar-like tissues. This results in permanent breathing difficulties such as asbestosis. Exposure to asbestos fibres (even in very low concentrations) especially through inhalation may cause cancer of the lungs, or mesotheelioma, cancer of the thin membrane surrounding the lungs.

On the ship breaking beaches of Asia, asbestos fibres and flecks fly around freely in the open air. Workers handle it without gloves or breathing apparatus. Fibres travel to the workers' accommodation through their clothes, prolonging exposure periods and affecting others. Asbestos lying on the beach to dry is a common sight. After it is dried, it is broken into little pieces and sold. In western countries such a scene would be unimaginable. Alarms would be raised. Men in haz suits would be called in to decontaminate the area. But in Asia, men take the asbestos out of the ships with their bare hands!

Heavy Metals
Heavy metalsare high-density metals, like lead, mercury, iron etc. You can find them in paints, coatings, anodes and electrical equipment. Heavy metals also persist and build up inside living organisms causing toxicity, and severe long- term effects, like retardation in young children, cancer and paralysis. Heavy metals are scrapped by workers without the correct protective equipment. These parts are often dumped or burnt on the beaches causing widespread pollution.

POPs
In Europe hazardous substances are carefully monitored and their disposal highly regulated. But at the shipbreaking yards of Asia, waste is burned in open fires. The fumes have very dangerous dioxins and PAHs. These are part of a class of compounds called Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
POPs are very problematic chemicals. They're highly toxic and very resistant to natural breakdown processes. Once released into the environment they persist for decades, building build up in the fatty tissue of animals and humans.

Oil and Sludge
Ships' pipes and tanks contain oil and sledges from the fuel and lubricating oils. Oils and fuels poison the marine environment and the creatures living in it. Oils and fuels are toxic to humans and can be inhaled or consumed in contaminated fish or water. Attendent are also dangers of fires and explosions. Used oil is listed as hazardous waste in Annex 1 to the Basel Convention. At Alang, however, waste oil is burned on the shore, along with whatever cannot be sold. In Mumbai, it is callously pumped into the sea.

Bilge and Ballast Water
Water that is heavily contaminated with oil and cargo residues, which has drained down to storage in the ship is called bilge water. As the ship is being scrapped rainwater water used for fire control also drain to this storage tank, called bilge.
Ships for scrap arrive most of the time 'in ballast'. Ballast water is water that has been intentionally brought on board to adjust the ship's stability. This waste-water often contains pollutants like oil, biocides and heavy metals.
When ships are scrapped, ballast and bilge waters are released, polluting the coastal area.
Ballast water may also contain in it, aquatic organisms brought from another part of world, which threaten the ecological balance in the seas where they are released. They may also have viruses and bacteria, which can transfer to humans.
All ships sent off to scrap should comply with the technical standards for ballast water management set by IMO-Convention on ballast water. Ballast water should be treated before discharge ashore. Sediment settled out in ballast tanks should be cleaned from the ship prior to scrapping. This sediment should be treated as quarantined waste and treated as required by sterilisation or other environmentally acceptable disposal options.