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MV X-Press Pearl disaster: Hazardous waste test results still pending

02 Oct 2021

  • Formulating waste disposal plan after test results
By Asiri Fernando The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) and other stakeholders are awaiting the test results of hazardous waste samples collected from the MV X-Press Pearl vessel disaster to formulate a waste disposal plan, The Sunday Morning learnt. Responding to a query, MEPA Chairperson Dharshani Lahandapura told The Sunday Morning that several samples of hazardous waste recovered from the coastline and sea following the MV X-Press Pearl incident were sent to a specialised laboratory in the UK for analysis. “Once we get the test results, we will discuss with our stakeholders and the committee of experts appointed and decide on the best course of action to dispose or recycle the waste,” Lahandapura said. Several containers filled with contaminated waste collected from beaches, lagoons, and the sea were held at a storage site run by the MEPA. According to Lahandapura, the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) had classified the waste as “hazardous material”, limiting the options for disposal. Lahandapura opined that some part of the waste may not be suitable for recycling, as there were concerns over exposure to the hazardous material. “We may have to look at options where the end product doesn’t come into contact with people,” the MEPA Chairperson said, adding that the best course of action will be taken following discussions based on the test results. According to the CEA, nearly 40 containers from the vessel had washed ashore and were recovered by the end of June. Remnants of fire-destroyed containers and cargo remained in the MV X-Press Pearl wreck. The Sri Lanka Navy, together with the Indian Navy, undertook to map the ocean floor to identify debris from the incident with the aim of ensuring safe navigation for fishing vessels and ships calling on the Colombo Port. The MV X-Press Pearl, a 185-m-long Singaporean flagged container vessel, was en route from Hazira Port in India on 15 May to Colombo with 1,486 containers on board, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid, a large volume of plastic nurdles, and several other chemicals, when it issued a distress call while in anchorage 9.5 nautical miles northwest of the Colombo Harbour. The ill-fated vessel sank by the stern in the anchorage following a multinational effort to douse her blaze and get control. Salvors appointed by the ship’s owners were working with local authorities to monitor the wreck and were expected to remove it in stages following the end of the monsoon season. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) charged several parties, including the vessel’s Captain and the ship’s local agents, over the incident. The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) also filed a fundamental rights (FR) case regarding the controversial incident.

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