In action taken several months ago, which has
received little publicity, was an overdue policy change by the U.S. Maritime
Administration limiting the sinking of ships at sea to establish artificial
reefs for the benefit of aquatic life.
The Liberty Ship Act of 1972 initiated the practice
of sinking outdated ships. Since that time approximately 45 ships have been
disposed of in that manner. The problem is that action also dumped untold tons
of toxic substances such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals
built into each ship, as well as millions of dollars worth of steel and
nonferrous metal resources.
The action is seen as a plus in U.S. jobs for the
domestic ship recycling industry and a victory for environmentalists. Many will
remember our domestic battle a few years ago to clear PCBs from area streams,
during which much was accomplished.
The current action is attributed to a post-sinking
monitoring study conducted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission. It was first made public in July 2011 by the U.S.-based
environmental organization Basel Action Network. It pertains to ships built
prior to 1985 when PCBs were banned. The Environmental Protection Agency
describes them as potential carcinogenic to humans which builds up in the
marine food chain.
The Florida study was of the former U.S. aircraft
carrier Oriskany, sunk off the Florida coast as an artificial reef. PCB
migration into the marine food chain was found from the sunken aircraft
carrier.
It appears the U.S. Navy’s artificial reefing policy
may also be changed. BAN is seeking an end to the Navy’s age-old sinking
exercise program in which the Navy gets rid of outdated vessels through
live-fire target practice. These ships are exempt from the strict rules which
have been used in removing pollutants from those sunk for reefs. Since the Navy
was exempt from these regulations in 1999, it has sunk 117 vessels.
However, the Navy made a sudden change of direction
last year which it said was due to the more favorable price for scrap
commodities. It decided to recycle the aircraft carriers USS Forrestal,
Saratoga, Constellation and Independence.
Whether it was public pressure from the Basel Action
Network and other environmentalists or from the fact the Navy suddenly
discovered the value of scrap, it made a wise decision.
Best estimates indicate the recirculating of
approximately $120 million in scrap metal will create about 2,200 domestic
recycling jobs. When accounting for indirect and induced employment, the job
creating numbers rise to approximately 7,000 for recycling the four carriers.
That is a very minor step toward balancing the
nation’s budget and economic problems as well as improving our environment.
Source: the daily times.
30 December 2012
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