A lesson in waste management

Warship or waste, French President Jacques Chirac has done the right thing in ordering the asbestos lined Clemenceau back to French waters. The French have crumbled in the face of embarrassing accusations it "exports waste to the developing world".

The issue was threatening to dominate Chirac's visit to New Delhi next week, designed to build on a strategic new partnership. The recall is no doubt a huge victory for Greenpeace and three other environmental bodies that have prevented the ship from entering Indian waters.

Heading for the infamous ship-breaking yard in Alang, on India's west coast, New Delhi must however urgently examine ways to manage the health hazard posed by the facility. Paris has called for experts to assess exactly how much asbestos-contaminated material is on board. French officials say the Clemenceau could have 46 tonnes, while environmentalists say there could be 1,000 tonnes on a warship that was once the pride of the French navy.

The debate on the amount of hazardous waste is not germane to the bigger issue, which should focus on how the world disposes of waste. It is time the West considers building its own dismantling yard. Alang, despite the mega bucks it makes, must be made to adhere to Indian environmental laws.