Ship-breaking—the process of breaking old ships down into spare parts and valuable materials for recycling—is dangerous work. Most end-of-life ships sold for dismantling end up in South Asian or West African countries where the work is “lucrative, supports many livelihoods and serves as a source of raw materials for local industries.”
But, as pointed out by a group of researchers with a forthcoming study in Journal of Cleaner Production, “it is increasingly clear that when these ships reach the end of their lives, they pose a threat to people and the environment.” A World Bank report estimates that by 2030, Bangladesh and Pakistan will have accumulated millions of tons of hazardous waste (including asbestos, hazardous chemicals, paints containing heavy metals, and ozone-depleting substances) from ship breaking.
