Environmentally sound management of ship recycling-

simple or complex?

Roy WatkinsonDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

UKPromoting Sustainable Ship Recycling

through the Global Programme 12-13th January 2008Dhaka, Bangladesh

Contents of presentation• Background, international context, key issues• Environmentally Sound Management

• defining ESM• objectives• ESM in practice• regulating facilities • waste treatment and disposal

• Summary• References

International agenda

Main agents since late 1990s UN

• IMO• ILO• Basel Convention

NGOs Guidelines developed

International Context Basel Convention - DecisionsSeventh Conference of the Parties 2004: VII/26 Reminds Parties of Basel obligations

Prior Informed Consent Environmentally Sound Management Minimisation of transboundary movements of hazardous waste

Invites IMO to consider establishment in mandatory requirements “equivalent level of control” as under the BC and “including a “reporting system, that ensures environmentally sound management”

Eighth Conference of the Parties 2006: VIII/11 Additionally

IMO to incorporate clear responsibilities of all stakeholders including ship recycling facilities and States

Parties to assess level of control and enforcement of draft ship recycling convention and Basel Convention

explore effective short and medium term measures

Environmentally Sound Management ofShip Recycling

Basel Convention definition Environmentally Sound Management

• Article 2(8) of the Basel Convention:

“taking all practicable steps to ensure that hazardous wastes or other wastes are managed in a manner which will protect human health and the environment against adverse effects which may result from such wastes.”

Objectives for Waste Management Control

to:

• protect the environment and human health from the potential adverse consequences of waste management activities

• demonstrate compliance with applicable environmental laws

• prevent long term problems from arising

• provide reassurance to the public and others that waste is being managed properly

• ensure sustainable management of wastes

A practical definition of environmentally sound management

• ESM can be described as being:“The combination of regulatory provisions, practical

standards and management controls brought to bear on processes that ensures the protection of human health and the environment from the potential impacts of waste management activities”.1

1. Environmentally Sound Management of Ship Recycling Principles and Practice, R Watkinson, International Conference on Dismantling Obsolete Vessels, University of Glasgow (2006)

Key features of ESM

1 - practical standards

2 - management control

3 - regulatory compliance

ESM in practice -1- Practical Standards

Are there published: national (or local) environmental criteria that identify

the expected level of environmental protection? environmental standards, using such criteria or e.g.

recognised international standards)? industry standards? technical standards for operation of facilities

including practical manuals? environmental assessment techniques or procedures

for identifying the potential impact of facilities?

ESM in practice 2- Management Control

What of these are being used: documented site operational procedures? quality management systems – for auditing by a third

party, such as an accredited independent auditor? staff who are trained and technically competent? provisions such as emergency plans or shut down

procedures, for dealing with incidents and problems? monitoring of the operation of individual facilities by the

operator to check for compliance with the permit? monitoring of the environment within and outside the

facility, records of which are kept for inspection?

ESM in practice 3- Regulatory Compliance

• is the Basel Convention implemented into national law?

what laws provide for regulation of waste activities i) at domestic level and ii) for imports and exports of waste?

is there an environmental regulator responsible for ensuring compliance with the legislative regime?

are site-specific permits issued with detailed conditions for site operation on: prevention of pollution by limits of emissions to air, water and land?

what are there penalties for failure to comply, are they enforceable through the courts?

are there records of documented inspections and data on monitoring of the facility by a competent authority?

Types of Operation

may be carried out both on the ship recycling site and elsewhere

in accordance with the principles of Environmentally Sound Management, operations include:

• storage• treatment• incineration• landfilling

Features of treatment and disposal facilities

They would: • posses a permit • comply with conditions of the permit• be monitored, with inspections recorded

And:• where processes change the characteristics

of the waste, the new waste is described so that others know how it is to be managed,

• where treated waste is sent to landfill the process has to produce waste that is acceptable for landfilling.

Some Guidance

SummarySuccessful ESM of ship recycling has:

• facilities that operate to ESM standards;

• technology that is appropriate for the waste;

• good quality data and management systems;

• effective communication between industry and regulator;

• sharing of best practice information;

• appropriate guidance from Government and regulator.

References • The Basel Convention on the Control of

Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal 1989

• Technical Guideline on the Environmentally Sound recycling/reclamation of metals and metal compounds (2004)

• Technical Guideline on Incineration on Land (1995)

• Technical Guideline on Specially Engineered Landfill (1995)

• www.basel.int

• Environmentally Sound Management of Ship Recycling Principles and Practice (2006)

The End

Thank you