Floating dump

 
Published: Thursday 15 August 1996

that Asia is being used as a dumping ground for the developed world's rubbish has been brought to the fore yet again. A us 200-tonne shipment of waste has wound its way to the port of Hong Kong after it was turned away from China where it was first sent for recycling. It has been refused permission to unload by the Hong Kong authorities, thereby creating a piquant situation where the 20 crew members find themselves stranded amidst the stench of decomposing garbage.

Greenpeace, the environmental group, has draped huge banners over the ship that proclaim, " usa, don't dump on Asia". The group has traced the origin of the ship to the city of Atlanta, host of this year's Olympic Games. Accused Clement Lam, a Hong Kong-based Greenpeace activist, "The us has been dumping waste in Asia for more than 10 years and now they should take it back."

The shipment was turned away from the mainland port of Fuzhou after the consignment of plastic bags was found to be contaminated by household waste including soft drink cans, metal fittings and rotting food.

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