New laws go into effect on
Dec. 30, 2013.
The new European Regulation on ship
recycling (Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013) has been published in the Official
Journal of the European Union (EU) and it will enter into law on Dec. 30, 2013.
The objective of the regulation is to
reduce the negative impacts linked to the recycling of EU-flagged ships,
especially in South Asia, without creating unnecessary economic burdens,
according to the Journal. It brings into force an early implementation of the
requirements of the 2009 Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally
Sound Recycling of Ships, therefore contributing to its global entry into
force.
The new Ship Recycling Regulation will
apply to large commercial seagoing vessels flying the flag of EU Member State,
and to ships flying the flag of the third country calling at EU ports or
anchorages. In order to ensure legal clarity and avoid administrative burdens,
ships covered by the new legislation would be excluded from the scope of the
Waste Shipment Regulation (EC) 1013/2006, according to the new rules.
The regulation sets out a number of
requirements for European ships, European ship owners, ship recycling
facilities willing to recycle European ships and the relevant competent authorities
or administrations. It also requires the EC to adopt a number of acts
implementing the regulation (in particular the European List of ship recycling
facilities authorized to recycle ships flying the Union flag).
According to the new rules, the installation
or use of certain hazardous materials on ships will be prohibited or
restricted. These hazardous materials include asbestos, ozone-depleting
substances, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate)
and antifouling compounds and systems.
Each new European ship (or a ship flying a
flag of the third country calling at EU port or anchorage) will be required to
have on board an inventory of hazardous materials verified by the relevant
administration or authority and specifying the location and approximate
quantities of those materials.
European ship owners also will have to
ensure that ships are only recycled in ship recycling facilities included in
the European List. They will have to ensure that each end-of-life ship is
prepared for recycling. In order to do this, they will have to provide the
necessary information about the ship to the ship recycling facility, notify the
intention to recycle the ship to the relevant administration, provide an
updated inventory of hazardous materials, and minimize the amount of cargo
residues, remaining fuel oil and ship generated wastes remaining on board,
according to the new rules. They also will have to provide a ready for
recycling certificate to the ship recycling facility which will recycle their
ship.
Prior to any recycling of a European ship,
a ship recycling plan will have to be developed by the operator of the ship
recycling facility based on the information provided by the ship owner. The
plan will contain information about the ship essential for its safe and sound
treatment and thus will facilitate the work of the ship recycling facility.
European ships will undergo surveys verifying compliance of the inventory of
hazardous materials with the requirements of the regulation.
EU Member States' port authorities will be
authorized to control European ships to verify whether they have on board a
ready-for-recycling certificate or a valid inventory of hazardous materials,
whatever is relevant.
In order to be included in the European
List, any ship recycling facility irrespective of its location will have to
comply with a number of requirements. The EC will assess the applications
received from the ship recycling facilities located in third countries. For
facilities located in the EU Member States, the assessment will be done by
national authorities and its result will be provided to the EC.
The European List will be published in the
Official Journal of the European Union and on the website of the Commission at
the latest 36 months after the date of entry into force of this regulation. The
Commission will be able to regularly update the European List in order to
include or remove a ship recycling facility from the List.
Source: recycling
today. 18 December 2013
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