A/HRC/12/26 page 13 alien species into the ecosystem. Sludge and other non-biodegradable contaminants are dumped into unsealed holes in the ground, from which they can easily seep away. They permeate the sand and contaminate the soil and groundwater resources, causing acute and long-term pollution. Improper storage and disposal of scrap metal and wastes also contaminate the soil and groundwater resources. 35. The paint coat can contaminate air, soil and water when torched or scrapped. Cables and electrical and other control systems contain hazardous material and emit hazardous gases if burned. In addition, the release of ozone-depleting gases from cooling systems contributes to worldwide climate problems. The air in the shipbreaking yards and in the residential areas close to the yards is often contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulates, metals (as particulates and gases), asbestos dusts and fibres, PCBs and dioxins. 36. Little work has been carried out to assess the environmental impact of shipbreaking. A study commissioned by the Gujarat Maritime Board in 2005 only found “low” to “moderate” levels of hazardous substances in soil and sediment samples.12 However, other studies carried out at various shipbreaking yards found high levels of contamination of coastal soil, seawater and drinking water sources, negatively affecting the marine ecosystem and the livelihood of local communities.13 A recent report published by the United Nations Environment Programme included shipbreaking industries in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan among the major land-based sources of marine pollution in the South Asian Seas region.14 C. The current normative framework 37. The Special Rapporteur notes with satisfaction that an international regulatory framework is being developed to address the growing concerns about the poor working practices and adverse environmental impact of the shipbreaking industry. Several organizations and mechanisms are contributing to the creation of this rapidly evolving body of norms and guidelines, including the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The efforts undertaken by the international community to address the problems arising from the current ways of ship dismantling have recently led to the adoption, on 15 May 2009, of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships. 38. In addition to this evolving body of norms, the Special Rapporteur wishes to stress again that the poor working practices existing in most shipbreaking yards and the adverse environmental impact of the shipbreaking industry also negatively affect the enjoyment of human rights by individuals working in the yards or living in their close proximity. These rights, which have been considered in some detail in the part concerning the human rights impact of 12 See http://www.gmbports.org/env_issues.htm. 13 See, for example, Hossain and Islam, op. cit. and Greenpeace, Ships for Scrap - Steel and Toxic Wastes for Asia, Studies No. I, III and VI, 1999, 2001 and 2002, respectively. 14 UNEP, Marine Litter: A Global Challenge, 2009.