Sao Paulo Do you remember his name? It was intended to be brought to Turkey, but later caught the public’s attention. It was the canceled ship.

Aliağa disassembly facility in Izmir The reason for canceling the ship was the asbestos content on the ship. Of course there were more ships like this, but we only heard of a few.

While we examined the risks of ship dismantling in detail, we also discussed why these facilities are located in Turkey to better understand our logic. This sector In addition to their economic contributions, their impact on the environment We’re curious what you’ll say when you see it.

What makes Turkey privileged in the ship dismantling sector?

Turkey’s strategic geographical location is one of the main reasons. Site selection criteria for ship demolition include: the region is located on the coast It already meets this requirement. Türkiye is the only country in the Mediterranean that recycles ships.

The availability of cheap labor and the infrastructure needed in the decommissioning sector are other points that make Turkey privileged. Being close to the marketThe fact that there are 22 recycling facilities in the same region (Izmir Aliga) makes Turkey more productive in this sector. fourth country in the world makes it happen. In addition, scrap obtained during disassembly to steel production facilities Thanks to the region, a direct transfer is also possible.

Shipbuilding yard established to make the most effective use of the coasts, ship maintenance-repair shipyard, In addition to the construction of yacht-cruise boats and shipbuilding sub-industry facilities, it is also used in the ship dismantling industry.

Countries currently dismantling ships include South Asia, India, Pakistan, Let us also say it is China and Bangladesh and see the effects of this sector in our country.

The ship dismantling industry has crucial points.

We prefer to use the definition of ‘critical’ figuratively and literally, because this work, in addition to the attractive aspects it offers for the economy and sustainability, also includes workers, deadly effect on the environment there is.

Producing steel through recycling instead of producing it in traditional ways, a gain in terms of CO2 emissions and energy offers.

An average of 250,000 tons of steel is recycled annually through the demolition of scrap ships. The profit it brings to the economy is at the very least 200 million dollars.

Their economic life has expired, their physical properties have been weakened due to corrosion, Ships at risk of metal fatigue There are many negative aspects to recycling usable equipment.

While thousands of people work in the sector, dozens of people lose their health.

Shipbreaking industry, according to the OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) risk level. “very dangerous job” It is defined as . Therefore, strict precautions must be taken, both in the field and for the workers. However, although the situation requires global standards, it is not what we think.

According to the 2022 report prepared by the Istanbul Occupational Health and Safety Assembly (İSİG), in the first half of 2013 and 2022, all sectors in Aliağa At least 97 workers were killed.

The number of fatal accidents in the ship conversion sector is higher than the Turkish average. Working in the facilities since 2020 At least seven workers were killed.

Asbestos

As you know asbestos is one of the most dangerous substances and toxic materials that seriously threaten the health of workers. Asbestos, one of the reasons for the ship’s return from São Paulo, is still present on some ships, although it is banned in many countries. According to the latest estimates, this number is more than 65 percent.

First in Aliaga lung cancer Many types of cancer are reported, including The statement of a worker working in decommissioning plants is as follows: Workers are dying of lung cancer. Most of us have accepted the situation. Many of us say we will die of cancer anyway.

Another employee said in an interview that they only used protective gear when taking photos, and then They continue to work in normal clothing say.

There are many notable headlines in the report entitled Ship Recycling in Turkey.

Established in Brussels in December 2023 NGO shipbreaking platformpublished the Ship Recycling report in Turkey. Environmental pollution, Among the many topics, such as erosion of the region and deterioration of the morphological structure, the prominent ones are:

• With 1505 ships dismantled in the last ten years 10 million 813 thousand gross tons of hazardous waste popped up.
• At every stage of the ship recycling process, starting from the licensing procedures of the facilities and the import of the ships, the relevant There are holes in the legislation. These gaps arise at many stages, from dismantling to steel scrap processing and hazardous waste disposal.
• facilities Exemption from environmental permit and EIA process It is not clear how the criteria are monitored due to the resulting gap in environmental monitoring.
• in the air in Aliağa particulate matter and heavy metal pollution It is most commonly seen in the ship recycling area.
• Factors causing high pollution levels include; inadequate drainage systems, lack of a suitable wastewater treatment system and separator, burning cables is available.
• In spatial analysis, ships and the platforms that are pulled ashore, There are color and tone differences that indicate morphological changes caused by filling work.
• While 10 percent of the waste is packed and collected, the rest is buried, burned or destroyed. flows into the sea.
• Workers removing asbestos do not receive appropriate education and employee health is directly affected.
• In some facilities, employees No protective equipment or clothing is provided. Security measures and techniques are often inadequate. These lead to avoidable accidents.

What needs to be done?

We have seen many problems arising from loopholes in the law. Therefore, to effectively utilize the existing potential, comprehensive rules need to be established. Sanctions may also be imposed should be. Vision is of course also essential here.

All these regulations also apply to the health of employees and to the prevention of accidents Occupational diseases are discussed in more detail It is needed. This means that research into occupational safety is necessary.

In-depth research into occupational safety and health to identify the root causes of accidents and occupational diseases There is a need for professional monitoring studies.

One of the important steps that need to be taken is dry docks is happening. Pollution and leakage during dismantling are prevented thanks to the dry docks that must be built taking rising sea levels into account. Of course, this requires investments.

Considering the waste brought from abroad to the recycling facilities in Adana, we look like the world’s backyard landfill. A lot needs to be done for all this, but no one is doing much and that does happen Both nature and employees suffer the consequences.

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