According to human rights groups, many of the world's largest ocean vessels reach their final destination on the beaches of Bangladesh. The coast of Chittagong, the country's main seaport is littered with scrap metal, stained with toxic oil and burning from the fumes of the ship breaking industry.

Ms Rizwana Hasan executive director of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association decided to battle the ship-breaking industry in 2003, her advocacy law firm has argued that Western nations cannot legally deposit ships laden with mercury and arsenic in Bangladesh, in accordance with international hazardous waste treaties.

Ms Hasan said that "It is a matter of concern for the ship breaking yards operating in Bangladesh. Equally, it's a matter of concern for the exporters who find Bangladesh as a safe place [to sell the ships]. I would certainly say that they must not think that it's safe anymore."

The country's Supreme Court ruled in Hasan's favour in a landmark case last month. The decision stated that all domestic ship-breaking yards must close if they do not possess an environmental clearance. The court also banned any vessels from entering Bangladeshi waters if the environmental group Greenpeace International lists those ships as carrying untreated toxins. The case, which BELA brought to court, threatens to close the 36 ship-breaking companies that operate in Bangladesh, none of which currently operate with an environmental permit.

The Bangladesh Ship Breakers' Association has stated that it supplies the country with 80% of its scrap. With domestic demand for steel booming before the global recession hit, the used metal is considered an economic necessity. Overall, the industry estimates that it provides for the livelihoods, directly or indirectly, of 250,000 people.

(Sourced from Worldchanging)