Maritime Administration Seeks Exemption to Pursue Foreign Scrapping

By Carol Kennedy

Published on August 05, 2005

The Toxic Substances Control Act prohibits export of PCB'S (polychlorinated biphenyls) which have been proven to cause cancer and other health problems in animals. The majority of the ships contain PCB's in their wiring, paint and caulking. A September, 2006 deadline has been imposed for the Maritime Administration to dispose of 132 obsolete ships.

A spokesperson for the Maritime Administration, Susan Clark said that all of the foreign facilities under consideration would have to demonstrate an appropriate level of environmental and health protection. Several scrap yards within the United States have already obtained scrapping contracts but Clark stated that there are still 116 ships not under contract. One option being considered is to send the ships to Mexico and Turkey.

Michael Town, director of the Sierra Club's Virginia Chapter, said that if MARAD continues to pursue this, environmental groups would have a legal case. He further stated that workers and the environment will not be protected by sending the ships to other countries and that we should not outsource jobs and pollution.

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