Today apparently 50 per cent of the world's ship recycling is done in Alang GUJRAT by a work force of some 35,000.
Many of them earn a meager Rs 100 a day.
The white and blue asbestos found in the skeletons of these ships is one of the most toxic chemicals in the world. Prolonged exposure to asbestos guarantees a date with lung cancer a few years down the line.
These end-of-life ships, most of them built before laws regulated what a ship could be built from, may also contain PCB, lead and explosive materials. These materials damage the environment, the health of ship-breaking crews and cause serious accidents and explosives.
It is estimated that 300 people die each year in Alang.
