Environment Agency Blocks 'Ghost Fleet' Deal
by Ananova
31 October 2003 – A controversial deal to bring rusting toxic US vessels to Britain for recycling has been blocked by the Environment Agency.
The organisation has withdrawn its approval for Able UK's contract with the US authorities to dismantle 13 vessels at its yard in Hartlepool, Cleveland.
The vessels are contaminated with chemicals including Polychlorinated Biphenyls, asbestos and heavy diesel. The agency says it is concerned that planning and environmental requirements for the dry dock dismantling have not been met.
Its prior approval for the deal was on the assumption that the ships would be broken up in a dry dock, which it considered to be environmentally safer.
Craig McGarvey, agency area manager, said: "If, in the future, all the environmental and planning requirements are met, there is no reason why dismantling and recovery of ships should not take place at the Able site."
Four of the 13 vessels in the so-called 'ghost fleet' have already set off from the James River, Virginia, on their 4,000 mile trans-Atlantic journey. They are due to arrive by the middle of November.
Able UK managing director Peter Stephenson said he believed all the necessary paperwork would be in place before the ships arrived. In a statement he Able and Environment Agency representatives had met, and that the agency will write to him next week with their concerns.
He said it was "a little surprising" that the agency had revealed its position in a news release, adding: "However, we do remain satisfied that we have relevant planning permissions in place for the recycling of the vessels and the creation of dry dock facilities.
"We have applied for approvals from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in relation to work on the dry dock facilities, covering matters such as dredging. Given that similar approvals have been given in the past, we are confident these will be in place by mid-November."
Environmentalists fear the ships are heavily polluted and could break up while at sea. Local people have expressed concern that Hartlepool was to be used as a dumping ground for US waste and feared pollution could wreck the coastline if a vessel was damaged in transit. But the firm says the scheme is safe and it will create 200 jobs.
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