A/HRC/12/26 page 9 (g) Oil and sludge. Ships’ pipes and tanks generally contain some quantities of oil, fuel, sludge and associated residues. As a result of shipbreaking, oil residues and sludge are spilled and mixed with soil and water on the beach, poisoning marine organisms and other forms of life (birds, fish, plants, etc.). The primary danger to workers handling oil and fuel on ships is that of fire and explosions. Other exposure routes for the hazardous components in oils and fuels are inhalation and consumption of contaminated fish and water, which also threatens communities living in proximity of the yards; (h) Bilge water. This is stagnant water mixed with potentially polluting liquids, which has drained to the lowest inner part of a ship’s hull (called the bilge). It is often referred to as oily waste, as it is usually heavily contaminated with oil and cargo residues, in addition to other pollutants (such as inorganic salts and heavy metals). During dismantling activities, bilge water is often released to the environment directly or by lack of containment during transfer operations. When released into the environment, it may cause widespread pollution of water and coastal areas, and adversely affect human beings through the consumption of contaminated water or fish; (i) Ballast water. Ballast water is fresh, brackish or marine water that has intentionally been brought on board to adjust the ship’s stability. It may contain pollutants, such as residual fuel, cargo hold residues, oil and grease, hydrocarbons and heavy metals. In addition to the pollution of water and coastal areas caused by the contaminants contained in it, the discharge of ballast water may cause the introduction of alien species which threaten the ecological balance of the surrounding sea and thereby represent a direct threat to biodiversity. Ballast water can also carry viruses and bacteria that may cause epidemics. B. The impact of shipbreaking activities 1. Human rights impact 20. By any standards, the demolition of ships is a dirty and dangerous occupation.5 The conditions prevailing at many shipbreaking yards in the world, and in particular in South Asian countries where ships are dismantled directly on tidal beaches, risk adversely affecting the enjoyment of several human rights, including the right to life, the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, and the right to safe and healthy working conditions.6 5 6 P. Bailey, Is there a decent way to break up ships?, ILO Discussion Paper, 2000. There is a vast literature on the issue of working conditions existing in yards of the major shipbreaking countries. See, for example, A. Rahman and T. Ullah, Shipbreaking: A Background Paper, ILO, 1999; P. Bailey, ibid.; M. Hossain and M. Islam, Shipbreaking Activities and its Impact on the Coastal Zone of Chittagong, Bangladesh: Towards Sustainable Management, 2006; International Metalworkers’ Federation, Status of Shipbreaking Workers in India - A Survey, 2004-2007; Greenpeace/FIDH (International Federation of Human Rights), End of Life Ships - The Human Cost of Breaking Ships, 2005; European Commission, Impact Assessment for an EU strategy for better ship dismantling, SEC(2008) 2847, 2008; FIDH/YPSA (Young Power in Social Action), Child-breaking Yards - Child Labour in the Ship Recycling Industry in Bangladesh, 2008.