Whereas shipbreaking and recycling is a necessary, yet hazardous activity that bears high environmental and labour risks; And whereas established and emerging international standards such as the Hong Kong International Convention for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships; the Basel Convention including the BAN Amendment; and the EU Ship Recycling Regulation point at gaps in British Columbian and Canadian government shipbreaking policies and regulations: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM: 1 Request the BC Government Cabinet to: - Establish, maintain, and enforce a registry of approved shipbreaking facilities in British Columbia; - Work with the federal government to ensure Canada ratifies the Hong Kong International Convention for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships; the Basel Convention BAN amendment; and considers adopting something comparable to the EU Ship Recycling Regulation or better such as planning to transition away from beaching practices; and - Provide public investment dollars to qualified shipbreaking facilities to help them meet new standards and regulations. 2 Forward this resolution to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for consideration by its Environment and Sustainability Committee, with a view to expand this resolution to all of Canada with associated advocacy to other provinces and the federal government.
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy The Province is always concerned when there is a potential risk to BCs coastal environment and the surrounding communities. Shipbreaking operations may be required to obtain authorization under the Environmental Management Act EMA. The Ministry oversees requirements for waste discharges and conducts compliance and enforcement activities to ensure these are met. Shipbreaking operations may be required to be registered as a generator under the Hazardous Waste Regulation and operational sites are also subject to the contaminated sites provisions of the EMA and the Contaminated Sites Regulation CSR. Shipbreaking sites conduct specified industrial or commercial uses listed in Schedule 2 of the CSR, such as marine equipment or metal salvage, and are therefore required to submit a Site Disclosure Statement if they are decommissioning, ceasing operations or applying for specified municipal approvals in connection with redevelopment. Submission of a Site Disclosure Statement triggers a requirement for the site owner or operator to complete site investigations, and the site is entered in the Ministrys Site Registry. The Ministry notes that the dismantling of ships on upland private property is also under the purview of local Regional Districts and associated local government bylaws. The federal government is responsible for the Basel Convention in Canada, as well as the international transportation of waste and any potentially hazardous waste. Transport Canada is the responsible federal agency for marine transportation and vessel registration in Canada and is currently the lead for reviewing the Hong Kong Convention.