Defra Publishing Comments on Ship Recycling

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, a United Kingdom-based organization, is set to publish the responses it has received to the consultation on its draft UK Ship Recycling Strategy.

The strategy establishes domestic policy for the recycling of UK Government-owned vessels, and sets out relevant waste controls and recommendations for owners and operators of UK flagged vessels. It also makes clear the UK's position on international negotiations on ship recycling.

The public consultation began this spring. For input, Defra invited comments from a host of individuals and organizations. Groups contacted included ship scrapping and recycling companies such as Able UK; ship lines such as Maerks; environmental groups including Greenpeace; shipbuilder and ship yards; and various government agencies.

The responses focused on: UK strategic approach; recycling government-owned vessels; recycling commercial vessels, in particular the application of waste controls to end-of-life vessels; establishing UK ship recycling capacity; negotiations in the International Maritime Organization; impacts on developing countries; development of a ship recycling fund; and pre-decontamination.

A description of the key issues raised within each category is provided in a summary of consultation responses below. Comments on the strategy, guidance and partial Regulatory Impact Assessment will be integrated into the final versions of these documents where appropriate.

Over the next few months, the Department will be submitting final proposals on the strategy to ministers, informed by the outcome of the consultation process.

Publication of the final UK Ship Recycling Strategy, Regulatory Impact Assessment and guidance document is expected this fall.

To view comments and preliminary information click on the following link - UK Ship Recycling Strategy