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Europe Environment LONDON, England 9 October 2001 -- A new international Convention on the control of harmful anti-fouling systems for ships was signed at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London on October 5. The new convention stems from resolution A.895(21) on anti-fouling systems for ships adopted by the IMO in November 1999, which called on the Organisation's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) to draw up a legally-binding international instrument to combat the use of toxic anti-fouling products on ships. The convention provides for a global ban on the use of organotin compounds - which act as biocides - in anti-fouling systems from January 1, 2003, and a blanket ban on organotin- based anti-fouling systems from January 1, 2008.As IMO delegates met on October 4 to sign the Convention, Greenpeace activists occupied the Atofina plant in the Netherlands, the world's largest factory producing toxic paints for ships. In a statement published in Amsterdam, environmental the organisation denounces the production of ship paint containing toxic TBT (tributyltin), claiming that it is severely damaging the marine environment. Greenpeace activists delivered nine barrels of contaminated mud to the Atofina factory, dredged from many of the world's polluted harbours (in Brazil, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium). The organisation indicates that Atofina produces toxic TBT as well as manufacturing anti-fouling ship paint. It claims Atofina is fully aware of the damage it is causing the marine environment, yet it is refusing to stop producing this toxic paint. Greenpeace is urgings the company to assume its responsibility, stop making and using TBT, and switch to less damaging alternatives that are readily available on the market. According to Greenpeace, the European organisation of paint producers, CEPE, acknowledges that alternatives are available on the market world-wide. Moreover, many major shipping companies, such as Maersk, Cunard Line, Hapag-Lloyd, Strintzis, P&O North Sea Ferries and the Mediterranean Shipping Company, have already stopped using TBT paint on their vessels because of the environmental damage it causes FAIR USE NOTICE. This document contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The Basel Action Network is making this article available in our efforts to advance understanding of ecological sustainability and environmental justice issues. We believe that this constitutes a `fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond `fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. More News |