Asbestos-Laden Ship Returning to France

May 12, 2006 - After much pressure from environmental groups like Greenpeace, the French have decided to recall a ship that was headed to India in order to dump hazardous waste.

The Clemenceau was destined for an Indian shipbuilding yard where the asbestos that was aboard the ship would be removed and disposed.  France had come under attack by a number of opponents who believed that the country was eager to dump its contaminated waste on Third World countries such as India.  The environmental groups leading the fight were delighted with the decision to turn the ship around and bring it back to the French port of Brest.

The Clemenceau is an aircraft carrier that was decommissioned in 1997 after 36 years of service to the French Navy.  The only thing that remains of the ship is its hull, which is reported to contain huge amounts of asbestos.  The French government claims that the amount of asbestos inside the ship measures about 45 tons, but a company that helped with the initial decontamination of the ship believes those figures are closer to 500 to 1,000 tons of the material.

The ship is expected to arrive back in France between May 15 and 20, after which time it may sit at the dock in the harbor of Brest for up to two years as experts determine how best to dismantle the ship without causing significant health hazards.