One
would have thought that ship breaking is a box standard transaction; bring in
an old sea haul, break it apart piece by piece and sell it to the scrap kings.
But not quite so!
The
recently released report by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and
NGO Shipbreaking Platform throws light on some of serious environmental and
humanitarian wrecks cause by shipbreaking in Pakistan.
The
report titled The Way Forward for a Green Ship Recycling
industry--Environmental, Health and Safety Conditions says the Pakistans
shipbreaking industry is marked by frequent preventable accidents causing major
injuries to workers and sometimes even deaths.
The
report adds that hazardous wastes recovered from the ships are not handled in
accordance with best international practises, which leads to pollution,
environmental degradation and puts workers and waste handlers at the risks
occupational diseases.
The
shipbreaking industry pays about Rs5 billion in annual taxes and according to
2012 estimates employed about 12,000-15,000 workers. The SDPI estimates that up
to 850,000 people--including workers and family members--depend directly or
indirectly on the industry.
These
numbers may not exactly make it a big time industry. But consider this: steel
from shipbreaking makes about 15 percent of total steel production in Pakistan
and about 10 percent of total steel consumption of the country. This,
considering the fact current status of Pakistans shipbreaking industry is
nowhere close to its heydays of the 1980s.
Surely
for an estimated total investment of about Rs5-6 billion (see table for
breakup), the government can take out some monies from the annual taxes it
collects from the shipbreaking industry and implement the necessary measures
over due course.
NECESSARY
MEASURES TO ACHIEVE HKC COMPLIANCE IN PAKISTAN
=====================================================================================
Time
frame Measures
Investment cost($ in mn)
=====================================================================================
1-2
years Worker registration &
personal protective equipment
2 to 3Onsite pollution & safety control equipmentEnvironmental
health & safety proceduresand ship recycling action plan
3-5
years On site equipment 10 to
15Training/capacityHealth care system
6-10
years Hazardous waste disposal
thermal treatment facility
25
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Source:
World Bank, 2010 - HKC stands for Hong Kong
Convention
that established international best practices for ship breaking.
Source:
business recorder.
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