Ecology, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Metals Market, Transport

Ships built using materials such as asbestos have often attracted the attention of environmental activists, and their protests have also met with success. For example, former French President Jacques Chirac was forced in a similar situation to yield to the "greens" and recall the toxin-laden warship "Clemenceau" from India back to France.

Robin de Bois, one of the oldest French environmental organizations, is calling for the Latvian government and the European Commission to ensure that the ship is transported back to Latvia or another country for the removal of all toxic materials, even if it has already been lifted onto the Indian coast for breaking works, LETA was informed by the organization yesterday.

The "Mar" arrived on May 3 in the world's ship breaking center of Alang, in India's Gujarat province. At present, it is being assessed whether to allow it to be lifted onto the coast for scrapping.

According to information provided to LETA by Robin de Bois representatives, the Latvijas kugnieciba owned vessel contains 3.4 tons of material contaminated with asbestos, and 1.2 tons of material contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls. Both materials are considered to be toxic and dangerous to human health, and are widely banned by national and international legislation.

Around half of the world's ships are scrapped on the beaches of Alang. The majority of ship breaking is carried out in India, Bangladesh and China in dangerous working conditions.

A representative for Latvijas kugnieciba confirmed to LETA that the ship "Mar" had been sent to India for scrapping. At present, the company has no information about the ongoing environmental controversy.