Among the ITF's Indian affiliates are the Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the Transport and Dock Workers Union (TDWU). Greenpeace had launched its campaign against contaminated shipbreaking last year. In a report published in March this year, the Greenpeace campaign had highlighted the occupational health and environmental hazards of shipbreaking.

In a statement released today, the ITF has asked for new regulations to be developed within the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to ensure that shipowners bear the full liability of ship breaking and costs are not externalised to workers and the environment. The trade unions have demanded that ships be decontaminated before being exportedfor shipbreaking. According to Mark Dickinson, "We will push for this by involving the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)."

In the last decade shipbreaking, earlier restricted to mechanised operations in the United Kingdom, Taiwan and Spain has moved to India, Bangladesh and China due to lower labour costs and lack of enviromental regulations. India today accounts for 70 per cent (estimated at Rs 2,500 crore) of the world shipbreaking market, followed by Pakistan, China and Bangladesh. Of the 45,000 ocean going ships, 700 are scrapped every year - comprising the primary market for the Asian shipbreaking industry. About 15 per cent of India's steel production comes from steel scrap from the yards.

A survey has indicated that 40,000 workers have been exposed to high levels of heavy metals, potential cancer-causing chemicals and other dangerous toxics. In Alang alone, 400 workers are killed each year due to explosions or accidental fires. Accordingto Nityanand Jayram, campaigner, Greenpeace, there could be several more deaths on account of occupational hazards, which have not been recorded.

The ministry of environment and forests also came under attack for its role in allowing the entry of hazardous waste to the country. According to Vivek Monteiro of CITU, "The government is guilty of abdicating responsibility of protecting the health of thousands of poor and illiterate workers."