Thailand Races to Stop Toxic Waste Cargo on MSC, Maersk Ships.

Thai authorities are working to prevent around 100 shipping containers filled with hazardous industrial waste from reaching the country's ports. The Basel Action Network, a US-based nonprofit, alerted Thailand to the containers, which are believed to contain potentially harmful electric arc furnace dust. One of the ships carrying the containers disappeared from maritime tracking services near Cape Town after the organization alerted South African authorities. Thailand is coordinating with Albania and Singapore, where the vessels are due to dock, to stop the shipments. The influx of trash from developed countries into Southeast Asian countries has become a concern, as it can contain toxins and requires consent under the United Nations Basel Convention. The containers are on A.P. Moller-Maersk's Campton and Candor vessels, and Maersk has confirmed that the containers were not declared to contain hazardous waste. The Basel Action Network and other environmental groups have raised the alarm about the shipment of electric arc furnace dust, a hazardous waste product that contains toxic metal oxides. The containers are scheduled to arrive at Thailand's Laem Chabang port in August. [Extracted from the article]

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