Ship Recycling in South Asia: Evaluating Current Practices and Addressing Future Challenges

Abstract

This study gives a detailed comparative analysis of three ship recycling countries in South Asia, namely Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. It assesses health risks and hazards to workers and harmful effects to the environment by the ship recycling industry in these countries. Additionally, it explores the economic significance of the industry in these countries and the legal frameworks that govern its activities. It also considers the status, living conditions, and health and safety challenges of workers at ship recycling yards. A detailed risk assessment matrix is utilised in this study to identify risky activities throughout the ship recycling process and evaluate the safety measures across the industry, identifying key hazards and their mitigation strategies. The study also reflects the environmental effects of ship recycling activities, especially the pollution caused by hazardous waste products such as oil, asbestos, and heavy metals. It can be observed from the literature that in legal framework and administrative policy aspects, India seemed to be established. In contrast, Pakistan and Bangladesh lacked proper rules and enforcement. Despite this, all three countries face serious challenges in providing a safe and healthy work environment for workers and effective environmental regulation. By addressing these challenges, the paper aims to fill the knowledge gap on ship recycling practice in the region and advocate for practical steps towards making the industry more sustainable. These recommendations involve reducing government bureaucracy, investing in modern recycling yards, and improving safety regulations to protect labourers’ health. The article also advocates for more efficient hazardous materials management to reduce the negative impacts of ship recycling activities on the environment.