Maersk to Return Alleged Toxic Waste to Europe, Upholding International Environmental Law

Shipping giant Maersk has taken a decisive action that reinforces the critical importance of international environmental regulations by agreeing to return approximately 816 tonnes of suspected toxic waste back to its country of origin, Albania, preventing its illegal disposal in Thailand. This decision comes in the wake of heightened scrutiny and concerns raised by environmental watchdogs and justice organizations.

In the past weeks, considerable concern had arisen over the fate of 100 containers filled with what is believed to be hazardous industrial waste, specifically steel furnace dust from Albania, seemingly en route to Thailand. The shipments had been carried out on the Maersk chartered vessels, Maersk Candor and Maersk Campton, which had both intentionally disabled their GPS transponders during parts of their journey – an action that raised suspicions and led to the vessels being untraceable for certain periods, particularly during their passage through South African waters.

Alerted by the Basel Action Network (Ban), an international watchdog group, along with its partners including groundWork and Friends of the Earth South Africa, authorities in the transit countries, including South Africa, and the scheduled destination, Thailand, did not give their consent for the waste transit, making the shipment a case of illegal waste trafficking under the Basel Convention.

The swift response from the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, complemented by the efforts of the South African Maritime Safety Authority, the Navy, and the Port of Cape Town, as well as Interpol, made it clear that South Africa was taking the matter seriously and was ready to inspect the ships upon arrival.

Responding to these concerns, Maersk has substantiated its commitment to corporate responsibility and environmental stewardship by agreeing to reroute the containers back to Europe. This development marks a significant accomplishment in global environmental governance, signaling that big corporations are acknowledging their role in the potentially illicit movement of hazardous materials across international borders.

The decision by Maersk received praise from environmental groups, including Ban's Jim Puckett, who lauded Maersk's leadership and transparency in this process, and Rico Euripidou of groundWork, who emphasized the potential environmental and health impacts that could have resulted had these materials reached their unauthorized destination.

Environmental advocates have underscored that Maersk should take further action to prevent future occurrences of such mishandlings by ensuring proper checks are in place and by demonstrating full compliance with international treaties like the Basel Convention, which regulates the transboundary movement and disposal of hazardous waste to protect human health and the environment.

Moreover, additional steps were recommended, involving coordination with MSC and the Singaporean authorities to conduct thorough independent testing of the waste for hazardous substances. The results of these tests should be disclosed to the public, providing transparency and assurance that the returned waste will be appropriately managed by the Albanian government.

Maersk's decision acts as a cautionary tale for both international shippers and recipient countries that may become the targets of illegal waste trafficking. It also stands as a commendable example of corporate responsibility in enforcing the Basel Convention and addressing the global challenge of managing hazardous waste.