space Press Releases, News Stories

Press Release
Basel Action Network (BAN), Greenpeace

The Encounter Bay is contaminated with cancer-causing asbestos and toxic heavy metals. P&O Nedlloyd has confirmed the ship is on its final voyage before sale to shipbreakers in Asia where its toxic materials will pollute the environment and threaten the health of Asian workers.

Activists chained themselves to the ship and hung banners reading 'P&O Nedlloyd, Stop Toxic Trade', disrupting its departure.

"The Encounter Bay represents a hideous and illegal waste trade in disguise. All hazardous material in it should be removed from this ship before it leaves for Asia, and not dumped on developing nations," said BAN of India campaigner Ravi Agarwal.

Greenpeace representatives from New Zealand, The Netherlands, and Britain, as well as Basel Action Network joined forces in Auckland against P&O Nedlloyd's plans to sell Encounter Bay without removing its toxic contaminants.

"How many more Asian workers have to die before this shameful practice ends?" said Greenpeace toxics campaigner Michael Szabo.

"Traffic in toxic wastes from OECD countries to non-OECD countries is illegal under the Basel Convention. As a signatory state New Zealand has a legal responsibility to prevent this ship from transiting en route for scrapping in Asia," he said

"Old ships contain toxic materials," said Agarwal. "To sell them for demolition in developing countries is not only morally wrong, it is a blatant violation of international laws and agreements governing the management of toxic wastes across the world., and against the very reason they have been made."

New Zealand and overseas officials have been notified by Greenpeace and Basel Action Network about the ship's illegal presence and asked not to allow the transit of toxic shipping waste.

By ignoring the passage of the Encounter Bay for scrapping in Asia, the New Zealand Government is allowing P&O Nedlloyd to commit a criminal offence and is supporting the dumping of toxic waste in Asia.

"There would be an outcry if toxic ships were scrapped on New Zealand beaches," said Szabo.

Greenpeace and BAN demand that the ship is detained and the company produce an inventory of toxic materials on board to be removed before sending it for scrapping.

The Encounter Bay was scheduled to leave Auckland on its way to Singapore this evening on its final working voyage before being sold to shipbreakers whose workers, for NZ$3 a day, will remove asbestos with their bare hands, be exposed to other poisons and carcinogens and risk death and injury in hazardous work conditions.

Today's action continues an international protest against toxic trade. The Encounter Bay was boarded by toxic waste activists in Sydney last Thursday and in Barcelona on November 16. It has also the subject of an on-going campaign in the Netherlands and India.

END

Video footage and photos will be available. For more information contact:

Rupert Posner or Michael Szabo of Greenpeace on site at (025) 790 817; Ravi Agarwal of BAN on (025) 790 817 or Di Paton at e Greenpeace office on 630 6397 or 025 289 5543 (mobile), or BAN Secretariat at 1.206.720.6426 (USA).