New report spells out hazards of moving waste in containers

Misdeclaration of waste shipments can be a costly exercise, as a UK exporter recently discovered. A container from the UK destined for India that claimed to be filled with paper was found by law enforcement agents to contain paper, plastics, wood, metals and textiles contaminated by food wastes. An attempt by the exporters to save US$ 2 500 in fees under the correct procedure landed them with a fine of US$ 20 000. A new report – The Perils of Waste Shipments in Freight Containers – produced this month by the UK P&I Club under the Carefully To Carry banner, highlights the problems and summarises the legislative framework surrounding the trade in waste shipments. “Containers carrying waste shipments can suffer structural damage due to improper stowage practices at the load-out point or become unusable due to tainting from a particular cargo’s malodorous properties. Ports may turn down cargoes of contaminated green waste while unbalanced loads may cause vehicles to roll over during road transportation,” a spokesman explained. In addition, shipments may be rejected at the port of discharge due to incorrect or incomplete documentation. According to the P&I Club, many countries receive hazardous waste as a welcome source of business with at least 8.5 million tonnes shipped internationally each year. And while the global economic downturn could adversely affect the level of international waste shipments, political pressures and formal rules to ensure the trade is carried out safely and to high environmental standards will continue. And that adds up to a minefield for the container operator to traverse. According to the UK P&I Club’s Loss Prevention director Karl Lumbers: “Owners need to be careful when accepting shipments and must be alive to the risks involved. Particular attention should be paid to assisting booking clerks with lists of pre-approved shippers and reminders that acceptance of large, one-off shipments from unknown shippers may have unfortunate consequences. “There is far too much deception and carelessness around on the part of some shippers. In some cases, what is packed leaves much to be desired.” The Perils of Waste Shipments in Freight Containers is being sent to all UK Club members and is available on www.ukpandi.com