The Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules 2008 do not permit import of any kind of hazardous waste for disposal in India. Insofar as ships coming to Alang shipyard for breaking are concerned, beaching permission is granted to any foreign ship only after taking into account the provisions of these Rules. No ship is allowed for breaking in India without proper consent of the concerned authority or the State Maritime Board (SMB) stating that the ship does not contain any toxic substances. This consent is issued in consultation with Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and Custom authorities. If any material is found embedded to any ship, it is fully decontaminated by experts before taking that ship for breaking. Even if any minuscule quantity was left unnoticed during decontamination, it is ensured that they are disposed of in an environmentally safe manner through Treatment and Safe Disposal Facilities set up for this purpose.
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