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The scandal of toxic waste from Albania risks the removal of the license for the international company 'Mayers'

2024-08-20 16:17:43Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
The scandal of toxic waste from Albania risks the removal of the license for the
The scandal of toxic waste from Albania risks the removal of the license for the international company 'Mayers'

Groundwork.com, one of the organizations that contributed to the alert for toxic waste loaded in the Port of Durrës, has explained in detail the journey of two ships with a load of toxic waste.

Maersk is risking potential liability for criminal waste trafficking. According to the Basel Convention, the UN treaty regulating the trade in hazardous waste and other waste, the transport of hazardous waste without the consent of the exporting country (Albania), transit countries or the intended importing country (Thailand) is illegal traffic of waste.

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Maersk will return to Albania hundreds of tons of suspected toxic waste which was destined for Thailand.

Environmental groups applaud the ruling and call on the shipping line to return similar waste it dumped in China

Seattle, USA, Bangkok, Thailand. August 19, 2024.

About 816 total metric tons of hazardous waste suspected to be in 100 containers transferred by two chartered AP Moller-Maersk A/S vessels will be returned to their country of origin, Albania, instead of being delivered to Thailand, according to Maersk spokeswoman Summer Shi. This is considered a major victory for environmental justice organizations as well as the citizens of Thailand. BAN has praised the shipping line for its quick response, but is now calling for the return of 115 containers of similar waste delivered to China by Maersk earlier this year.

The announcement by Maersk follows a dramatic week of intrigue after the international watchdog group, the Basel Action Network (BAN), warned Albania, several transit countries and Thailand about the massive shipment of what is believed to be toxic steel furnace dust collected from the inspection of pollution.

"We welcome Maersk's decision to return the suspected dangerous cargo. But the work is not done,” said BAN Executive Director Jim Puckett. "Earlier this year Maersk sent a similar cargo of waste to China, which also needs to be returned. Further, the company must take measures to prevent their ships from moving hazardous waste, e-waste and plastic waste to developing countries in the future."

"We are very grateful that Maersk has agreed to return this waste to Albania," said EARTH's Penchom Saetang. “Asia is too often victimized by global shipments of hazardous waste, e-waste and plastic waste. We hope that Maersk will work to take responsibility for doing its part in implementing the Basel Convention.”

The 100 containers in question were transported in July from Albania to Trieste, Italy, where they were loaded onto two Maersk ships, MAERSK CAMPTON and MAERSK CANDOR. As the two ships sailed towards Southeast Asia, BAN and its partners, environmental justice organizations groundWork, Friends of the Earth in South Africa and Ecological Alert and Recovery – Thailand (TOKA), raised the alarm and rushed to block the ships detained by transit countries. However, both ships "disappeared" during parts of their voyages by deactivating their AIS GPS transponders for periods far longer than what shipping experts have noted is normal. Act that may have been illegal.

According to the Basel Convention, the UN treaty regulating the trade in hazardous waste and other waste, the transport of hazardous waste without the consent of the exporting country (Albania), transit countries or the intended importing country (Thailand) is illegal traffic of waste. . Albania was never informed of the export by the exporter, the transit countries were not informed and Thailand received no notification. Due to this fact, Maersk is risking the potential liability of criminal waste trafficking.

The lead ship, CAMPTON, is believed to have discharged its 40 containers of suspected hazardous waste on 18 August 2024 in Singapore. On August 19, 2024, these containers were listed as having completed transfer to the MARIA SAVERIA of the Mediterranean Shipping Company SA (publicly known as MSC), scheduled to sail to Italy on August 21, 2024, where they are supposed to be transferred to a another ship, headed for Durrës. The second Maersk vessel carrying suspected hazardous waste, the MAERSK CANDOR, has been "missing" since August 9, a very unusual time, and is expected in Singapore on August 24.

BAN and EARTH are calling for the following from the Singaporean authorities:

1 Detention of 40 containers of suspected hazardous waste now being loaded at MARIA SAVERIA until separate samples are taken from the containers and tested by two independent laboratories to determine levels of heavy metals, dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the waste. Holding the containers until Maersk/MSC has issued a written guarantee that the containers will be returned directly to Albania.

2 Holding approximately 60 containers of suspected hazardous waste on board MAERSK CANDOR upon arrival until they have been tested for heavy metals and harmful organic chemicals and until Maersk has given written assurance that the containers will be returned directly to, Albania .

BAN and EARTH are calling for the following from MAERSK and/or MSC:

1 Maersk and MSC are to coordinate with the Singaporean authorities to take separate samples from the containers now on board the MARIA SAVERIA and have them processed by two independent laboratories to determine the levels of heavy metals, dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the suspected remains.

2 Maersk/MSC must issue a written public guarantee that the suspected waste containers will be returned without interruption to Albania.

3 Maersk must reactivate the AIS transponder on CANDOR, maintain custody of the suspected hazardous waste containers until they are also separated by the Singapore authorities and carry out the direct return of the suspected waste to Albania.

4 Maersk must return 115 containers of similar waste from Albania, which have been placed in Nansha Port, Guangzhou, China since April 2, 2024, after being blocked by Fengcheng customs (see customs report and English translation) after learning for the high levels of lead and other pollutants, proving that they are toxic waste./ Vna.al


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