Progress! U.S. Navy Will Recycle Four Retired Aircraft Carriers

by Jess Leber · 2011-04-11 07:23:00 UTC
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Amazing news. The U.S. Navy has reversed course on an important issue that will prevent tons of toxic pollution at sea.

For years, it was thought acceptable and even beneficial for the environment for the Navy to dump old ships at sea after they are no longer needed.

But in large part thanks to the Basel Action Network's (BAN) advocacy and investigative work, this is no longer the case. Now, the U.S. Navy has decided to dismantle and recycle four retired aircraft carriers—the USS FORRESTAL, the SARATOGA, INDEPENDENCE, and CONSTELLATION—rather than letting these valuable ships sink to a watery graveyard. More than, 300 Change.org members joined Basel Action Network in signing the global toxic trade watchdog's petition on our network.

BAN estimates that the recycling of the FORRESTAL alone will bring in millions of dollars with the the resale of 40,000 tons scrap steel, copper and aluminum, in addition to creating 500 jobs in the domestic recycling industry and about 1,900 jobs in the overall economy for one year. By contrast, with two aircraft carriers were scuttled at sea in recent years, their sinking cost taxpayers $20 million a pop. In the last decade alone, about 95 naval vessels have been scrapped at sea, so this news is also an important indication the Navy is reversing this trend.

The group's petition on Change.org would be a victory except for one ship. The Navy still has plans to sink a decommissioned destroy, the USS Arthur W. Radford, in the waters off Delaware/New Jersey/Maryland as soon as this May. BAN has raised serious concerns with this plan—especially with regard to the pollution it will cause of these state's waters. EPA has yet to approve the sinking, so there is still a chance that this plan could be reversed.

As BAN's Green Ship Recycling Director Colby Self  called on U.S. EPA, the U.S. Navy and the Atlantic States to halt plans to sink the RADFORD at once. "2011 can be the year that marks the point in history when we steer away from the arcane policy of scuttling our jobs and resources while polluting our seas, and opt instead for cutting the budget, creating American jobs and preserving our environment," he said.

Support this great progress and keep signing the petition to echo and amplify this call.

Follow Change.org's Environment page on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo credit: Rennett Stowe via Flickr

Jess Leber is a Change.org editor. She most recently covered climate and energy issues as a reporter in Washington, D.C

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