Latest news with #environmentaldamage
ABC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Australia urged to act on deep sea mining after moratorium fails
Global environmentalists are warning of long term damage to the earth's oceans after governments, including Australia, failed to agree to a moratorium on deep sea mining at a major meeting in Jamaica last week. The 30th session of the International Seabed Authority wrapped up on Friday with no deal, despite 37 countries voting for a moratorium or a 'cautionary pause'". But the ISA did agree to launch an official investigation into the actions of deep sea mining contractors which have applied for permits via the United States, after Donald Trump signed an executive order to open international waters, including the Pacific, to deep sea mining, not waiting for global agreement on the rules and safeguards. Guest: Helen Rosenbaum, Research Coordinator for the Deep Sea Mining Campaign
BBC News
4 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
BBC uncovers lasting toxic legacy of cargo ship disaster off Sri Lanka
Four years after a stricken cargo ship caused the largest plastic spill ever recorded, volunteers on Sri Lanka's beaches are still sifting kilograms of tiny, toxic plastic pellets from the of plastic nurdles, as they are called, are thought to have washed up after the X-Press Pearl disaster in 2021, along with tonnes of engine fuel, acid, caustic soda, lead, copper slag, lithium batteries and epoxy resin - all toxic to aquatic immediate damage was obvious: the nurdles inundated the shoreline, turning it white, while dead turtles, dolphins and fish began washing scientists are now flagging fears the damage to the environment could be much more enduring than previously thought. So far, hundreds of millions of nurdles may have been cleared away - but the remaining, lentil-sized microplastic granules have become increasingly difficult to find as they disappear deeper into the those pieces of plastic now appear to be becoming even more toxic, new research suggests."They seem to be accumulating pollution from the ocean," said David Megson, of Manchester Metropolitan University. "Like a lovely big chemical sponge."Nurdles are the raw materials that are melted to make plastic products and it is not unusual for large amounts to be transported in the global plastic supply problems onboard the X-Press Pearl started soon after setting sail from Dubai Port bound for Port Klang in Malaysia, when the crew noticed that a container carrying nitric acid was leaking, corroding the metal box. But they were denied permission to unload the smoking, leaking container at ports in Qatar and container had been leaking acid at a rate of about a litre an hour for at least eight days when it sailed into Sri Lankan waters late at night on 19 May had requested emergency berthing - but by the morning the Singapore-flagged vessel was firefighting efforts from the crew, the Sri Lankan authorities and salvors, the fire spread throughout the weeks later, it sank, spilling its cargo and fuel into the sea around nine nautical miles off the country's south-west coast, between the capital Colombo and Negombo to the north. What happened next "was just like out of a war movie", says Muditha Katuwawala, an environmentalist and founder of the Pearl Protectors, a local NGO that volunteered to help the clean-up operation, which was run largely by Sri Lankan state authorities with funding from the ship's owners."We started seeing turtles getting washed up with similar sorts of traits... the skin had burn marks [and] was peeling off. The nose and eyes were red and puffed up, and we saw dolphins washing up and... their skin was peeling off and red," Mr Katuwawala nurdles on the beaches were "like snow," he says, adding that "it was horrifying".The clean-up began in earnest. At the start, Mr Katuwawala and his fellow volunteers "were collecting like 300-400 kilos of nurdles" each time, it dropped to three to four kilograms in a couple of hours."The nurdles were getting more dispersed, it was harder to see them as they got buried in the sand over time."It was decided the cost-benefit ratio was no longer worth the effort of mobilising volunteers. The groups stood down, leaving the task to state-organised local clean-up the same time, scientists were getting concerned about the possibility the plastic pellets - already harmful to animals which eat them accidentally - may be getting more toxic, contaminated from the spill, or from other pollution the ensuing years, they have collected samples which could help trace the effect over time. In November 2024, the BBC and Watershed Investigations sent more than 20 of those samples to a team of forensic chemists specialising in environmental pollution from Manchester Metropolitan found the most heavily contaminated nurdles were those burnt in the fire, which leach metals toxic to aquatic life, like arsenic, lead, cadmium, copper, cobalt and team also found the pellets "still going round appear to be sucking up more pollution from the environment" and were becoming "more toxic", according to Mr Megson."They will be ingested [and] will pass pollution on to marine organisms," he carried out on fish caught near the site of the disaster - as well as the nearby Negombo lagoon - found some contained the same pollutants that were present in the ship's cargo and on the of the fish contained levels of hazardous metals - some of which were found in the disaster - which exceeded safe say the disaster cannot be discounted as the source of contamination, although it also can't be directly proven to be the source, as it's not known if these fish ate nurdles, how many they ingested, or if the pollution came from other sources."But placed on top of everything else that is in that system, there's a really good likelihood that it's causing harm to the environment and also potentially harm to people and humans that are eating and relying on that marine ecosystem for a source of their food," Mr Megson fishermen do draw the link to the disaster."There's no fish since then. We've never had the same amount of fish that we used to catch," fisherman Jude Sulanta explains."Our lives have turned upside down. From the stretch where the ship sank up until here you don't get many new, young fish at all."The ship's owner, X-Press Feeders Ltd, says to date it has worked diligently to ensure the best response to the disaster and spent more than $130m (£96m) to remove the wreck and debris at sea. It says it has also paid more than $20m to the Sri Lankan government for clean-up operations on the coast and to compensate says, however, that the Sri Lankan government has assumed responsibility for all shoreside clean-up activities and it is disappointed by the delays in that process and the ongoing impacts this is Sri Lankan government says the amount paid by the ship's owner - which was capped by an interim UK maritime court order - is not enough to cover the long-term damage, and it is pursuing legal action to overturn the cap and secure further compensation. On Thursday, Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ordered the company to pay $1bn as an initial payment to cover long-term economic and environmental damage it says the country suffered as a result of the disaster - but the cap remains in place. The Supreme Court doesn't have jurisdiction over Singapore, where X-Press Feeders Ltd has its headquarters.X-Press Feeders said it was extremely disappointed with the judgment and that they are reviewing it with their legal advisers, insurers and other relevant stakeholders to best assess their next course of Prashanthi Guneeardena - an environmental economist at University of Sri Jayawardenapura who chaired an expert committee of scientists to assess the damage - puts the cost of the disaster at closer to more than $6bn, taking into account things like the loss of wildlife, as well as impact on tourism, fishing and harm to local residents from the toxic cloud released when the ship burned."Large quantities of dioxin and furan have been added to the atmosphere and these are carcinogens. And then we have calculated it may kill about 70 people in our country," says Prof ship owner rejects this assessment. It quotes the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF), an organisation which is funded by the shipping industry to assess marine spills. It says the report was "unparticularised, inaccurate, and lacked credible scientific basis".The ship owner has also said itself and its crew have "followed the internationally accepted procedures in dealing with the acid leak, while maintaining all safety and emergency protocols".Colombo Port Authority has also denied any responsibility, saying it did not know of the issues until the ship arrived in its waters. The sea is the lifeblood of this island nation. Its stunning golden coasts are a huge draw for tourists, and for generations fishing has fed the country. But Mr Sulanta, the fisherman, is worried that his way of life no longer has a future."Many are selling their boats and trying to go abroad. And many people are fed up. In fact, my son himself, he's working with me at the moment. He's also a fisherman."But he's also considering leaving the country. It's already been several years. If we were going to get justice we would have had it by now," he says. You can listen to the BBC documentary Sri Lanka: The X Press Pearl disaster Leana Hosea is an environmental investigative journalist and a founder of non-profit Watershed, which investigates freshwater and marine environment issues.
CBC
22-07-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Man who drove vehicle into water at Windsor marina ticketed for careless driving, police say
A man who drove his vehicle into the water at Lakeview Marina on Monday night has been issued a ticket for careless driving, Windsor police say. But he won't face any legal action related to environmental damage because there doesn't appear to be any, Windsor's harbourmaster said. "The only pollution I would say was maybe three empty water bottles that floated out of the car as it went under," Peter Berry said. The driver appeared to be backing into a parking lot on the west side of the marina, when he appeared to hit the accelerator instead of the brake and launched his car about six metres (20 feet) off the edge of the lot and into the water, pushing a planter out of the way in the process, Berry said. "He did have the wherewithal to climb out of the passenger side window, which was partially open," he said. "Otherwise he would have … gone under with the car. … The water pressure would have kept the doors closed. And, of course, the electric windows are no longer working. So good for him, he had that window open." The driver appeared to be shaken and cold, Berry said, and was unhappy about the loss of his vehicle. But he was happy to have survived. The car hit the water near the blue pilings and missed hitting any boats by about two feet, Berry added. There was also no damage to the dock, and there was no sheen on the water indicating a fluid leak of any kind. Photos and videos circulating on social media show a large crane lifting the dark-coloured SUV from the water, its front windshield smashed and large clumps of seaweed hanging from its undercarriage.
CBS News
22-07-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Florida nonprofits, doctors, families call for immediate shut down of Alligator Alcatraz
Several Florida nonprofits, medical professionals, public health experts and families impacted by the Alligator Alcatraz detention facility in the Everglades are calling for it to be shut down due to what they are calling inhumane conditions and environmental damage. On Tuesday morning, they're holding a news conference outside the facility to outline the dangerous conditions. Flood-prone tents are used to house the detainees at the hastily constructed camp at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in the Big Cypress National Preserve. Detainees have said the cages where they are forced to sleep are crowded and the food is sub-standard. Some have said they've gone days without showering or getting prescription medicine, and at times the air conditioners for the tents would abruptly shut off in the sweltering heat. They've said their drinking water comes from toilet spigots and sometimes the toilets back up, spilling feces on the ground. "From the toilets and sink systems they use, which, if not cleaned regularly, can cause serious environmental contamination. We also understand there are temperature control issues in the cages. Sustained exposure to heat will not only help propagate germs and viruses but can also cause severe health issues up to cardiac arrest. This kind of treatment to human beings is not the American way," Tessa Petit, the co-executive director of the Florida Immigration Coalition, said in a statement. Armen Henderson, executive director at Dade County Street Response, said the conditions are a blatant assault on human rights. "By imprisoning innocent people in tents surrounded by fences and barbed wire, with no proper sanitation, it is nothing less than a concentration camp. This is a public health crisis unfolding in our own backyard," he said in a statement. The Florida Division of Emergency Management has said reports about the poor conditions at the camp are untrue and the facility meets all required standards and is in good working order. The state has estimated it will cost roughly $450 million a year to operate the detention facility. The Florida Immigrant Coalition and its partners are calling on the state to immediately evacuate the camp and close down the facility. They also want emergency health screenings and care for all current and recently released detainees. They are also demanding full legal access for detainees and independent inspections of conditions. Detainees have reportedly been denied legal counsel through standard processes.
BBC News
18-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Thirlmere wild campers fined for felling trees and lighting fire
Wild campers have been fined for cutting down trees and lighting a large fire in a wooded Council said the group had caused "significant" and "unnecessary" damage to the area when they camped in Thirlmere, in the Lake District. Those involved were fined £100 and made a voluntary donation of the same value to wildlife conservation charity the John Muir Trust, to support tree replanting in the councillor Denise Rollo said wild camping would "not be tolerated" when it led to "litter, fire damage and abandoned gear". "Although wild camping itself isn't an offence, damaging the environment is," she said. "Cumberland Council has zero tolerance for environmental harm and anyone breaching the public space protection order risks a fine or prosecution." The council said it was able to fine those involved with the help of the landowner, United Wright, the water firm's woodland officer, said the company regularly finds trees that have been "hacked down by wild campers"."As well as destroying habitats, they are also creating a fire risk which is extremely dangerous," he said."We work together with the council, National Park and other partners to engage with visitors and remind them that camping is only allowed in designated areas and urge them to leave only footprints." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
