Ghost Fleet Won't be Dismantled on Teeside

The Environment Agency has backed down over its decision to allow the so-called US "Ghost Fleet" of toxic ships to be scrapped in the UK, following the threat of legal proceedings by Friends of the Earth. The Agency announced on October 31 2003 that the waste management licence granted to Able UK is invalid, and that the appropriate environmental assessment has not been carried out. This means the ships cannot legally be dismantled on Teeside.

The ships involved are in varying states of disrepair and are heavily polluted with oil, asbestos, PCBs and other toxic material. Between them they are carrying over 500,000 gallons of fuel and oil. The risk to US wildlife sites is one of the reasons why the US Marine Administration came under pressure to remove the ships from the James River in Virginia.

Friends of the Earth began legal action against the Government regulator by asking the High Court for a Judicial Review of the Agency's decision to grant a waste license to Able UK.  The Environment Agency has now said Able's licence is invalid as it doesn't have planning permission in place as a full environmental assessment has not been made of the effects of dismantling the ships without a dry dock.  Dismantling cannot take place without a current waste management licence.

According to the Agency, if the ships can't be dismantled without threatening the environment, regulations provide for the waste to be returned to the country of origin. Friends of the Earth is today writing to the US Government, the Coastguard and Hartlepool Borough Council to make all parties aware that the ships do not have legal permission to be scrapped in Hartlepool and must be sent back to America.

Friends of the Earth's Executive Director, Tony Juniper, said,  "The Environment Agency must now make it clear that the ships must not be allowed to enter UK waters and must send them back to the United States. This is a real victory for the environment and for local people on Teesside."We are delighted that the Agency has realised it exists to protect the environment rather than help America get rid of its waste overseas."

The wildlife sites threatened by the toxic ships are protected under domestic, European and international law because of their importance for water bird species including the Knot, Shelduck and Redshank.
 

November 12 2003
Despite the above ruling the first ship of the 'Ghost Fleet' has arrived on Teeside where the plan is to allow the ship to spend the winter before being sent back to the USA.  At least three more ships are expected to arrive shortly as they are already en route for Britain while a further nine ships are still moored in Virginia.

Friends of the Earth's Executive Director Tony Juniper said,  "The Government must hold an urgent public inquiry to establish how this situation has arisen.  We have been raising concerns over the permissions for these boats for months and the Environment Agency indicated the ships should return before they arrived in UK waters.

"These ships should not be in the UK, but now that they are, everything must be done to ensure they are stored safely, given their proximity to an important international wildlife site. These vessels must be made safe to return to the United States as soon as possible."