site.btaBulgarian Ship Carrying Hazardous Waste Detained in Salerno

Salerno, Southwestern Italy, October 15 (BTA) - The ship Seven Star with cargo of scrap was detained in Salerno on arrival, MaritimeBulletin.net reported on Sunday. The cargo of hazardous ferrous waste is to be offloaded in the Italian port and put under arrest.

The vessel's next port of call was to be Oristano, on the Italian island of Sardinia, where the cargo was to be offloaded initially. The Italian authorities have been suspicious of scrap cargoes arriving at Sardinia for quite some time. It is not clear what happens to industrial waste (including pressed cars, electronics, plastic, engine oil filters and household appliances) in Sardinia, which does not have waste processing or recycling factories and facilities.

The Italian authorities suspect either illegal dumping somewhere in Sardinia, or transshipment of waste to other countries. Sardinia, according to reports, has turned into a regional waste hub. Waste cargoes, as a rule, are not accompanied by documents certifying the waste in accordance with international regulations.