On the 19^th August 2010, the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) announced the publication of two new ISO Specifications for safe ship recycling.

Since the Basel Convention and the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships 2009, there has been heightened awareness as to the current dangers, and potential benefits of, ship recycling.

Nearly every part of a redundant ship can be recycled. This is a positive fact in a world and economy that is now highly driven by sustainability. However, the current methods are known to be unacceptable. The dangers inflicted upon the workers at present greatly outweigh the benefits of recycling a ship. The industry costs thousands of lives a year. One of the main hazardous materials on board vessels is asbestos.

There are steps being taken to improve this industry, for both the workers and the environment. The Hong Kong Convention 2009 promises legislation such as the Inventory of Hazardous Materials that all vessels will soon have to carry (for more information on this please click here).

This has now been followed up by ISO specification. The two new specifications have been designed specifically to protect workers and the environment from the hazards on board vessels such as asbestos, and modelled to comply with the impending Hong Kong Convention.

The two Publically Available Specifications (PAS) are described on the ISO website as follows:

• ISO/PAS 30006:2010, Ship recycling management systems
• ISO/PAS 30007:2010, Ships and marine technology

“Under the Hong Kong Convention, ships to be sent for recycling will be required to carry an inventory of hazardous materials. ISO/PAS 30006:2010 will help by specifying the requirements for diagrams to show the location of hazardous materials onboard ships.

Shipyard workers have an elevated risk of developing an asbestos-related disease, especially in recycling activities. ISO/PAS 30007:2010 provides effective methods for minimizing the dangers of asbestos during ship recycling by reducing both the release of asbestos into the environment and worker exposure to asbestos.” (http://www.iso.org/iso/pressrelease.htm?refid=Ref1346 -07/09/2010)

Information Sourced From:

http://www.iso.org/iso/pressrelease.htm?refid=Ref1346