ship yards
Labors work in a ship breaking yard in Chittagong, Bangladesh, May 23, 2007.
Ship breaking yards provide the last resting place for end of life ships. At these yards, ships are scrapped, primarily for their steel content. It provides employment to thousands of workers directly and indirectly in Bangladesh and allows the recycling of many materials used in the ship’s construction. However, almost all of the vessels condemned for breaking contain hazardous substances such as asbestos, oil sludge, paints containing lead, PCBs, and even radioactive substances. Most of workers migrate from the poorest parts of the country and are not provided with safety gear to work in a dangerous and toxic environment. With earning around 10tks (68tks=1usd) per hour, workers face serious injuries and even death every day.
