Archived press release

Environment Agency Learns Lessons from Ghost Fleet Saga

12 May 2004

The Environment Agency today said that important lessons must be learnt from the ghost fleet saga. The Agency says, in a paper to their Board Meeting being held today in Southampton, that wildlife protection coordination and communications with the public and others needs to be improved [1].

Friends of the Earth won a High Court Case in December which has ensured that proper environmental investigations are now being carried out into the environmental risks posed by scrapping the ships, especially into the internationally protected wildlife site, and to ensure better public participation in decision-making.

The Environment Agency has also carried out chemical monitoring data which shows that, as yet, the four ships in Hartlepool have not polluted the River Tees. It will publish a report on this soon. They have informed Able UK that biological data is needed to assess if any non-native species in ballast water pose a risk to the internationally protected wildlife site. A full assessment into risks posed by organisms living on the hulls is yet to be carried out.

The Agency has concluded that the environmentally preferable option is for the four ships to remain in Teesside until Able UK has carried out all the detailed environmental appraisals needed into the building and operation of a dry dock facility. The Agency states they will keep this position under review. If Able UK is granted all the permissions it needs, it will it be allowed to scrap the ships. If permissions are not granted, the Agency will ensure the ships are scrapped elsewhere.

Friends of the Earth Campaigns Director Mike Childs said:

"We are pleased that the Environment Agency has learnt important lessons from the ghost ship saga. Friends of the Earth will continue to do all it canto ensure that the internationally important wildlife site in the Tees Estuary is fully protected. Proper environmental investigations are now being carried out into the environmental risks posed by developing a ship-scrapping facility and local people will be fully consulted. While these issues are both crucial, Friends of the Earth still maintains that rich countries should deal with their own waste, not export it."

The Environment Agency also announced that it will not prosecute Able UK for failing to scrap the ships within 180 days. Court orders were put in place in December to prevent Able UK carrying out scrapping work until all the permissions were in place to do so. Permissions are not expected to be in place until September at the earliest.

Notes

[1] The Agency says that a number of lessons need to be learnt (see below) about the ghost fleet saga. Friends of the Earth is continuing to have a constructive dialogue with the Agency on these and other issues which we are raising.

• DEFRA, English Nature and the Environment Agency should ensure more effective co-ordination of environmental impact assessments under the Habitats regulations.

• The Environment Agency should improve its capacity to recognise novel or potentially controversial issues in advance in order to improve its communications with the Government, other agencies and the general public.

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