A Global Programme for sustainable ship recycling was formed earlier in 2007 to ensure the improvements in workers health & safety and the environmental conditions in the south Asia region. This programme has been developed in close consultation with two other international organizations with an interest and expertise in ship recycling: the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labor Organization (ILO). The Secretariat of the Basel Convention seeks to work with all ship recycling stakeholders to ensure the future sustainability of the industry.
THE CONCEPT
The concept of this programme is very simple and is based on four basic principles:
• The first principle is a life-cycle approach, recognizing that action is required within the confines of the ship recycling yard and beyond.
• Second principle being the inclusion of ship recycling into national development and poverty reduction strategies, noting the important role the industry plays as an employer and source of raw materials
• Third principle is, making collaboration with a wide array of stakeholders, including representatives of governments, ship recycling associations, workers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of ship recycling countries, donor countries and ship owner representatives. The active involvement of all relevant stakeholders will be instrumental in securing a commitment to improve the global ship recycling industry in a sustainable manner;
• Finally the continuity, recognizing that the Programme should build on the considerable work that has been done in the past and put into place processes and procedures for the long-term, to ensure the future sustainability of both the Programme and the industry.
All these four basic principles are maintained to ensure a greener tomorrow in the ship breaking industry.
THE NEED OF THE PROGRAMME:
Ship breaking is the key industry of the south Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. This industry provides jobs for thousands of people and the indispensable steel needed for the development of these countries. Ship breaking is inherently sustainable as more than 95% of a ship could be recycled. Ship recycling countries provide a valuable service to the global economy, recycling ships that are no longer operable, which otherwise might be abandoned or sunk. Given over 90% of the world’s trade is conducted via shipping, ship recycling is an issue in which the majority of the world’s population has a stake, although its direct effects, both positive and negative, often go unseen at the global level.
In theory, the ship breaking process seems to be sustainable. However, there is often little regard for worker health or safety, with worker injury and illness, and sometimes worker fatality, being commonplace. Ships contain highly toxic materials, including asbestos, PCBs, heavy metals and oils and fuels, the dangers of which are not always understood by the workforce which results in limited precautions being employed to protect worker health and the environment. The concerns over standards in the industry are compounded by the impending phase-out of single-hulled tankers, which will result in thousands more ships requiring recycling over the coming ten years, the majority of which will find their way to the beaches of South Asia.
Now anyone who has read this passage would have understood the need of the ‘Global programme for sustainable ship recycling’ This Global programme seeks to achieve:
• Promotion of the sustainability of the ship recycling industry by enhancing the application of internationally recognized standards relating to occupational safety and health (OSH) and environmental protection
• Promotion of effective implementation of the future Convention for the “Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships” being negotiated under the auspices of the IMO, by building upon existing technical assistance activities promoting the guidelines of the IMO, ILO and Basel Convention, and elements of the new Convention (as developed)
• Promotion of an integrated approach to the ship recycling industry, by addressing infrastructural and other needs in the participant countries in and beyond the ship recycling yards.
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PROGRAMME:
The activities of this global programme include:
• Development of model facilities in each of the participant countries to couple both operational and infrastructural improvements in a phased manner, providing a blueprint for other yards to follow suit.
• Development of Government-to-Business certification scheme(s) to provide a yardstick by which ship owners and governments may assess the adherence of a yard to internationally accepted OSH and environmental standards.
• Policy development to assist ship recycling countries in preparing for the entry into force of the IMO Convention on the “Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships”.
• Establishing linkages with related development programmes being implemented in the participant countries.
• Training and workshops to encourage knowledge-sharing and collaboration between all stakeholders in the ship recycling process, including government agencies, ship recycling facility owners, operators and workers, NGOs and external experts.
With all these measures, the programme ensures a greener and a safer tomorrow for the ship breaking Industry.
Find more Global programs at: http://www.recycleinme.com/events/EventsCalendar.aspx
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