Hazardous Materials Onboard the MSC Flaminia
MSC Flaminia
Press Realease # 8
MSC Flaminia is a floating logistic warehouse. Its counterpart ground project would be subject to the Seveso Directive with strict regulation concerning construction and organizational requirements; such as fireproof walls, isolation distances between classes of hazardous materials, an internal organisation plan, a specific response plan including the intervention of external emergency resources. Fires in Seveso type plants on land requires the evacuation of people and the implementation of safety measures touching on the consumption of food produced in a perameter that can sometimes range quite far.
Waiting for the bomb squad – War Remains Inventory from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2011
Contents
Introduction
The unsettling truths – The battlefields of northern and eastern France – Old weapons kill – Old weapons pollute – Old weapons harm flora and fauna – Chemical weapons
War Remains Inventory from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2011 with maps:
Franche-Comté Region
Alsace Region
Lorraine Region
Champagne-Ardenne Region
Ile-de-France Region
Picardie Region
Nord – Pas-de-Calais Region
Summary map
Sources
Introduction
War remnants do not have a course. Old weapons kill, pollute, and are the enemies of biodiversity. Following their previous research, Robin des Bois has published a new inventory of weapons discovered in the 7 regions in the north and east of France, casualties of the wars of 1870, 1941-18, and 1939-45.
PCBs on board the MSC Flaminia
MSC Flaminia
Press release # 7
Update August 30, 9:45 am
The complete inventory of hazardous materials on board the MSC Flaminia has been made by an unofficial source. No radioactive material is declared. However, the big surprise is the presence of two PCB waste containers on board outside the damaged area. These PCBs are banned from production and use worldwide. They were undoubtedly intended for disposal in Europe. They came clearly the United States, since MSC Flaminia left Charleston. It is surprising that the United States would expose the marine environment to known high risks by transporting and exporting hazardous waste to Europe. Exportation from the United States to Europe is not illegal as long as done in accordance to the Basel Convention on transborder movements of hazardous waste. But it is illogical.
PCBs on board the MSC Flaminia
MSC Flaminia
Press release # 7
Update August 30, 9:45 am
The complete inventory of hazardous materials on board the MSC Flaminia has been made by an unofficial source. No radioactive material is declared. However, the big surprise is the presence of two PCB waste containers on board outside the damaged area. These PCBs are banned from production and use worldwide. They were undoubtedly intended for disposal in Europe. They came clearly the United States, since MSC Flaminia left Charleston. It is surprising that the United States would expose the marine environment to known high risks by transporting and exporting hazardous waste to Europe. Exportation from the United States to Europe is not illegal as long as done in accordance to the Basel Convention on transborder movements of hazardous waste. But it is illogical.
Is this nightmare going to end soon?
MSC Flaminia
Press release # 6 and chronology.
The MSC Flaminia’s wandering after its accident has lasted since July 14th, 2012. Until August 21, the containership in great distress, the tugs, and their crews were pushed away from French and British waters. The convoy remained in a no-man’s land, out of the range of helicopters in case of emergency. The lack of information about the kind of hazardous materials on board was a strenuous challenge to rescuers.
On July 18, after the second explosion, the first tug moved away about 2 km from the MSC Flaminia in order to avoid all risks. Simultaneously, MSC spoke of a “small explosion”.