BASEL CONVENTION --- http://www.basel.int/
The Basel Convention is a United
Nations (UN) treaty that is aimed at the reduction of hazardous waste,
promotion of environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes, and
prevention of hazardous wastes illegal transfer from one state to another. The Basel
Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and
Their Disposal was adopted in Basel, Switzerland in March 1989. The Convention
came into force on May 1992. There are currently 51 Signatories and 175
Parties. The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) is responsible for the
implementation of the Basel Convention. The International Maritime Organization
(IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are international
organizations that are deeply engaged in addressing the issue of ship
recycling.
What is Basel
Convention's main purpose?
The primary purpose of the Basel
Convention is to stop or ban industrialized countries from dumping toxic wastes
into developing countries.
What are the Basel
Convention's aims and objectives?
Click here to view complete list of
aims and objectives
Coverage of Basel
Convention:
The Basel Convention covers
hazardous wastes that are explosive, flammable, poisonous, infectious,
corrosive, toxic, or ecotoxic.
Refusal of Export to
the Shipbreaking Country:
- All parties are required to
provide information about a proposed trans-boundary movement of hazardous wastes
to the destination countries.
- An exporting country must refuse
the export of a ship having hazardous materials if the destination country for
ship breaking operations cannot manage the hazardous wastes in an
environmentally sound manner.
Which countries are
the primary shipbreaking destinations?
Shipbreaking operations are done
primarily in Bangladesh, India, China, Turkey and Pakistan. Why these
countries? Primarily because of cheap labour markets and soft/problematic
enforcement of environmental protection standards.
Which countries export
ships for shipbreaking?
Industrialized European and Western
countries.
What
are the reasons why Basel Convention is violated?
GRIM reasons.
MONEY - rich countries sell their
old garbage ships and don't want to spend money to process obsolete,
decommissioned, end-of-life ships. IRRESPONSIBILITY - irresponsibility and
neglect for human welfare and environmental protection. RECKLESSNESS - they
(violators) just don't care! (except only caring about themselves). GREED -
greed for more money, greed for more profit....yeah, don't reason out --- you
know you are doing the wrong thing!
If you arrange all the first
letters: M, I, R, G ---> it is GRIM spelled backwards............GRIM
reasons.
Major negative effects
of Basel Convention violations:
- Environmental pollution,
Operational accidents, Disease
Primary Responsibility
Before Exporting Ships for Shipbreaking:
Pre-cleaning of hazardous wastes is
the financial and legal responsibility of the ship owner before exporting ships
to Bangladesh, India, China, Turkey, Pakistan, and other developing countries.
Primary NGO Supporter of Basel
Convention --- http://www.ban.org/
The Basel Action Network (BAN) is a
Seattle-based charitable non-governmental organization (NGO) whose mission is
to prevent the globalization of the toxic chemical crisis. BAN is the guardian,
defender, and promoter of the Basel Convention and its decisions. BAN opposes
the export of toxic wastes, toxic products, and toxic technologies from rich to
poorer countries. BAN prevents the rich countries from turning the poorer
countries into a dumping ground.
BAN is recognised by the United
Nations Environment Program (UNEP) as the leading organization dedicated
exclusively to issues regarding trade of toxic substances. BAN is regularly
invited as NGO experts and stakeholders in internal meetings and policy
deliberations. BAN also worked closely with the Organization of Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) and other United Nations (UN) mandated
environmental protection programs.
BAN advocates Green Shipbreaking.
BAN ensures that all hazardous materials from US ships and vessels are properly
removed before exporting or domestic processing.
Click here to visit the BAN website:
http://www.ban.org/
The
Green Ship Recycling Standard
The purpose of the Green Ship
Recycling (GSR) Standard is to establish an environmentally sound management
and methodology in shipbreaking and recycling of ships. The main objective of
the standard is preventing damage to human health and the environment. The
Green Ship Recycling Standard is created by the NGO Platform on Shipbreaking.
BAN, Greenpeace, and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) formed the NGO
Platform on Shipbreaking. The primary focus of the platform is the responsible
ship breaking and disposal of ships. Upholding the letter and spirit of the
Basel Convention and the Basel Ban Amendment, the NGO Platform's main purpose
is to stop the developed (first world) countries from the unlawful dumping of
toxic wastes to underdeveloped third world countries. The NGO platform endorses
the principles outlined in the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.
REQUIREMENTS
& PROCEDURE PRIOR TO DISMANTLING/RECYCLING
Floating or Land-Based
Re-use of Ships:
- Green Ship Recycling Facilities
(GSRF) should favor re-use of ships over recycling
- GSRF shall promote and assist in
the preparation of ships for historic preservation, retrofitting, restoration,
refurbishing and repair of ships that have a viable and safe proposition for
extended life as a structural ship.
- Alternative uses can include
further life as a ship, housing, offices, hotels, museums, conference centers,
etc
- Alternative uses are favorable as
long as hazardous materials are sealed and made safe from release.
Ocean
Dumping/Placement:
Green Ship Recycling
Facilities shall not support or be involved in:
- preparing or selling ships and
other similar structures for use as artificial reefs
- utilizing ships as artificial
reefs
- dumping ships at sea or placing it
in the marine environment
- other forms of aquatic dumping or sinking
in aquatic environments
- scuttling a ship (deliberately
sinking a ship by allowing water to flow into the hull)
- sinking ships as targets for
military exercises
Legal Requirements,
International & National Waste Trade Law:
- A Green Ship Recycling Facility
will operate and ensure all business practices are fully consistent and in
compliance with national and international waste trade laws.
- A Green Ship Recycling Facility
will operate in a manner which will not require other facilities, persons, or
other entities to violate any national or international laws.
- A Green Ship Recycling Facility
shall abide and comply with the following list of legal instruments:
List of Relevant
International and National Waste Trade Agreements:
• Basel Convention
• European Waste Shipment Regulation
• Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) Recycling Agreement
• Waigani Treaty
• Izmir Protocol
• Bamako Convention
• Acuerdo Regional sobre Movimiento
Transfronterizo de Desechos Peligrosos -- Centroamerica
• Basel Ban Amendment (Decision
III/1 of the Basel Convention)
• The Asbestos Regulations (as
amended) 1999 (United Kingdom)
• Toxic Substances Control Act (for
PCBs import and export) (USA)
International Labor
Law:
- GSRF must operate in accordance
with International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions and Recommendations
and all applicable international labor laws and guidelines.
Licensed and
Permitted:
- A Green Ship Recycling Facility
must have valid applicable licenses and permits for operations including
hazardous waste management- Only fully licensed and permitted downstream waste
management facilities are allowed.
Waste oils, fuel and
sewage:
- Prior to any recycling operations:
all waste oils, oily liquids, fuels, and sewage must be completely removed from
the ship & managed in accordance with the regulations and guidelines set by
the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
(MARPOL)
Downstream Environmentally
Sound Management of Wastes/Materials:
- All Green Ship Recycling Facilites
must have access and use of national downstream disposal facilities that can
handle, manage, and dispose all hazardous wastes on board vessels including
asbestos, toxic metal paints, residual fuels and oils.
- Materials and wastes containing
PCBs and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in concentrations above 50
ppm must not be landfilled or otherwise disposed of
Environmental and
Health Monitoring:
- Workers in GSR workplaces should
be monitored at least once a year. This should include blood and hair sampling.
- Workplace environmental monitoring
should be conducted at least once a year. This must include soil sampling, air
sampling, and dust sampling for heavy metals, asbestos, and PCBs.
Community Support:
- A wide community support including
from local fishermen, residents, and businesses should be obtained before the
establishment of a new Green Ship Recycling Facility.
Environmental Management
System (EMS):
- Green Ship Recycling Facilities
will implement, maintain, and document an ISO (International Organization for
Standardization) or similarly certified Environmental Management System
Fire Fighting
Equipment:
- GSRF must have fire fighting
equipment and capability to extinguish all types of fires inside and outside
the ships and surrounding premises.
Occupational Safety
and Health Responsibility:
- Occupational safety and health
(OSH) is the responsibility and duty of the GSRF employer
- Owners of GSRF must periodically
assess and identify risks and hazards to health and safety
- Preventive and Protective Measures
should be implemented in conformity with ILO guidelines on shipbreaking and
other relevant international conventions, regulations, recommendations, and
codes of practice.
Personal Protective
Equipment:
- Green Ship Recycling Facility
owners must freely provide appropriate gloves, boots, coveralls, uniforms,
googles, respirators, face shields, hardhats, and other personal protective
equipment (PPE) to employees
- Proper use of PPE shall be
enforced in accordance with ILO guidelines and OSH standards.
Onsite/Offsite Medical
and Emergency Facilities:
- GSR Facilities must possess
emergency eye-wash stations, emergency shower stations, and first aid supply
& equipment
- During all operations, persons
trained in First Aid Procedures must be present at all times
- Hospitals with rapid means of
transport and capable of severe injury treatment must be located within 15
kilometers of a GSRF.
- Emergency response vehicles must
be able to approach within 25 meters of at least one side of a ship without
delay
Green Passport and
Ship Recycling Plan:
- Before the Green Recycling Process
initiates, two key documents are essential so that the Pre-Cleaning process can
be planned and executed prior to the arrival of the ship at the recycling
facility.
(a) Ship's Green
Passport
- A ship's green passport is the
vessel's document that contains the inventory of hazardous materials onboard.
- A Green Passport stays with the
ship throughout its lifespan
- The Hazardous Materials Inventory
(green passport) is the responsibility of the ship owner
(b) Ship Recycling
Plan (SRP)
- A Ship Recycling Plan is a
document prepared by the Ship Recycling Facility during the sale of the vessel
Transboundary Voyage
to Annex VII Destinations:
When the final destination of ships
containing Basel listed hazardous wastes is an Annex VII country (member of
OECD, EU, Liechtenstein), a Green Ship Recycling Facility must perform the
following prior to the final voyage of all ships:
1. Full Inventory:
• A full inventory of Basel listed
hazardous wastes remaining on the ship must be accomplished
• Inventory of hazardous
wastes/materials shall include at a minimum: mercury, Polychlorinated Biphenyls
(PCBs), ChloroFluoroCarbons (CFCs), lead, cadmium, tributyl tin (TBT),
halogens, solvents, asbestos, fuel, radioactive materials, and oils and oily
mixtures.
2. Testing and
Examination by Licensed Experts:
• All testing and examination must
be accomplished by licensed experts in the field to ensure safety and
credibility of results.
3. Notification and
Consent:
• Article 6 of the Basel Convention
describing full notification and consent between competent authorities must be
successfully completed.
4. Adherence to
Standards:
• Ensure that the receiving facility
is a Green Ship Recycling Facility that adheres to the standards.
Transboundary Voyage
to Non-Annex VII Destinations:
When the final destination of ships
containing Basel listed hazardous wastes is a non-Annex VII country (not
OECD/EU/Liechtenstein), the exporting Green Ship Recycling Facility must
perform:
1. Pre-cleaning:
- Pre-cleaning of ships in
accordance to the standards before sending it to the final disposal destination
- Pre-cleaning is to be carried out
by removing all Basel listed hazardous wastes and ensuring safe towing of the
ship its final destination.
2. Processing of
Hazardous Substances:
- Hazardous substances such as
residual fuels, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or toxic metals
should be processed according to Basel Technical Guidelines for the
environmentally sound management of the full and partial dismantling of ships.
3. Repatriation of
Hazardous Wastes:
- Hazardous Wastes that cannot be
removed because of resulting unsafe towing must be repatriated to the exporting
Annex VII country for final disposition in a government approved disposal or
recycling facility.
REQUIREMENTS
& PROCEDURE DURING RECYLING
Gas-Free Testing &
Certificates:
- Prior to any cutting or
dismantling operations onboard a vessel in the GSRF, a ship must be tested for
flammability and a Gas-Free for Hot Works certificate must be granted.
Environmentally and
Occupationally Sound Management and Responsibility:
- All Shipbreaking and Recycling
operations must be conducted in accordance with the Basel Convention Technical
Guidelines, ILO Safety and Health in Shipbreaking, IMO guidelines on Ship
Recycling, and other relevant guidelines including all applicable local and
national laws.
- Environmentally Sound Management
of Hazardous Wastes involves Waste Recovery and Disposal Methods
- Waste Recovery methods involve
Regeneration and Reclamation through processes such as Distillation, Thin-Film
Evaporation, and Steam Stripping
- Disposal Methods involve processes
such as Biological Treatment, Physico-Chemical Treatment, Deep Injection,
Specially Engineered Landfill, and Incineration on Land
No Beaching
Operations:
- No Green Ship Recycling operations
shall take place on tidal beaches
- Tidal Beaches provide unstable and
impractical platforms for mechanical lifting devices such as cranes
- Tidal Beaches does not offer good
access to emergency response vehicles
- Leaks from oils, residues, and
particulate matter falling on tidal beaches are not retrievable
Full Containment &
Operational Platform with Drydocks or Graving Docks:
- GSRF operational platforms are
required to have impermeable floors where hazardous materials and wastes are
handled
- Drydocks or graving docks with
impermeable, contrallable and fully contained floored area is required
- Impermeable Floors provide full
containment for loss of liquids or particulate matters (e.g. oils, paint chips,
dust)
- Impermeable Floors allow recovery
and management of incidental or accidental releases of residues or emissions
- Drydock or Graving dock floors
must be washed everyday
- Before flooding, floors must be
thoroughly cleaned
- Wastewater shall be managed as
hazardous waste because of cleaning agents, particles, and residues
- No part of the ship can be
considered as the necessary containment
- Cutting and recycling activities
shall not take place directly over water, soil, or sand
Asbestos Remediation
and Disposal:
- All forms of asbestos must be
removed, isolated and managed as hazardous wastes in downstream disposal
facilities in compliance to GSR guidelines (Annex II) and applicable ILO
Conventions
- Asbestos must be managed in
accordance with all applicable national and local laws, regulations, and
guidelines
- Asbestos in any form must never be
reused or recycled
- Asbestos must be disposed of in a
secure landfill designed for asbestos without possibility of airborne or other
releases.
PCBs Removal and
Destruction:
- PCBs in liquid form are found in
transformers, capacitors, and fluorescent light ballasts
- PCBs in solid form are found in
gaskets, electronic cables, electrical wires, insulation, pliable flooring
materials, roofing materials, and in paints.
- PCBs in both solid and liquid
forms having concentrations greater than 50 ppm should be treated and managed
as hazardous wastes [ 1 mg/1,000,000 mg (solid) or 1 ml/1,000,000 ml (liquid)
--> one part in one million = 1 ppm (part per million) ]
- PCBs should be removed and
isolated under the conditions and in facilities as described in the Basel
Convention and relevant guidelines in the Green Ship Recycling standards
document.
- PCBs must never be reused or
recycled
- PCBs will be subject to
destruction technologies that destroy the PCB molecule with a total Destruction
Efficiency (DE) of 99.9999 percent.
Radioactive Devices:
- Smoke detectors, ionizing smoke
alarms, and all other ship equipment containing radioactive materials must be
removed, collected, and managed in a designated radioactive waste facility that
complies with national and international regulations.
Mercury:
- Mercury is usually found in ship's
equipment, instruments, and devices such as electronic switches, relays,
binnacles, compasses, thermometers, barometers, and in fluorescent light bulbs
- Mercury should never be released
to the environment
- All mercury should be managed as
hazardous waste and processed in a facility capable of safely recycling it
- Mercury recycling facilities
should have retorts capable of 99.99% recovery.
ChloroFluoroCarbons
(CFCs) / Freon Remediation and Disposal:
- CFCs found in refrigerants,
air-conditioning equipment, fire extinguishers, etc. must be properly
identified, safely removed and isolated.
- CFCs should never be released to
the atmosphere
- Disposal must be implemented through
a licensed CFC collector
- Management and Remediation
(removal of CFC from environmental media such as soil and water) should be in
accordance with MARPOL and Montreal Protocol obligations and guidelines.
Harmful Paints and
Plastics:
- Paints and plastics should be
tested for halogens and toxic metal contents such as lead, cadmium, and
tributyl tin (TBT)
- Paints and plastics with hazardous
levels of toxic metals should be processed as hazardous wastes
- Materials containing halogens must
be placed in a secure and designated landfill area
- Steel and other metals having
paints, coatings, and plastics containing halogens or toxic substances must be
sent to smelters with effective pollution control devices and equipment
- Smelters must operate in high
temperatures to prevent the release of toxic metals, dioxins, and harmful
hydrocarbons
Burning and
Incineration:
- Except for dedicated incinerators,
no ship material should be burned as they can cause or create harmful emissions
- Only dedicated hazardous wastes
incinerators with a 99.9999% destruction efficiency is allowe
Thermal Cutting:
- Thermal cutting, or other thermal
operations or devices must not create toxic fumes or smoke
- Thermal operations should not be
done near or over all paints, plastics and other materials that causes toxic
gases
Toxic or Health
Impairing Dusts:
- Grinding, sand blasting, cutting,
and other operations that create toxic dusts or unhealthy dusts should be
avoided
- If such operations cannot be
avoided, appropriate respirators, masks, and protective equipment must be worn
to prevent inhalation and eye exposure
Transport of Hazardous
Wastes:
- Hazardous wastes for transport
should be properly labeled, and packaged in accordance to regulations to
prevent spill or release.
Downstream Due
Diligence:
- For all operations away from the
GSRF, owners must satisfy legal and safety requirements
- Ensure that Safety Measures must
be in place to prevent dangers, hazards, and risks
- Third party facilities and brokers
must meet applicable standards, must have all the permits and licenses for all
waste management operations
Source: By eternaltreasures.
http://eternaltreasures.hubpages.com/hub/Green-Ship-Recycling-Standards
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