by Mac Mackay » July 25, 2014, 6:38 am
Despite debatable comments below regarding asbestos, there are health and safety laws in Nova Scotia governing disposal of hazardous wastes. Leaving them lying on a beach is not a approved disposal process. Asbestos pipe lagging in particular can be come dislodged and friable. Once airborne it is impossible to control.
Asbestos must be removed from the environment in a controlled way. It is laborious and the workers must be protected from exposure. It is a costly process if done in Canada under Canadian regulations.
Many shipowners, regrettably, have found that the cheapest form of disposal is to sell the ship to India or other third world countries where the regulations do not exist. There is a movement afoot to halt this trade, but it is meeting with limited success.
Turkey does have decent regulations, so there is some assurance of the material being safely removed if the ship makes it.
Despite debatable comments below regarding asbestos, there are health and safety laws in Nova Scotia governing disposal of hazardous wastes. Leaving them lying on a beach is not a approved disposal process. Asbestos pipe lagging in particular can be come dislodged and friable. Once airborne it is impossible to control.
Asbestos must be removed from the environment in a controlled way. It is laborious and the workers must be protected from exposure. It is a costly process if done in Canada under Canadian regulations.
Many shipowners, regrettably, have found that the cheapest form of disposal is to sell the ship to India or other third world countries where the regulations do not exist. There is a movement afoot to halt this trade, but it is meeting with limited success.
Turkey does have decent regulations, so there is some assurance of the material being safely removed if the ship makes it.