An investigation by the Associated Press found that over the past 12 years, the Navy blasted 109 old ships off the coasts of California, Hawaii, Florida and other states, using missiles, torpedoes and large shells. On the other hand, during the same period, 64 other vessels were dismantled and recycled at domestic ship-breaking facilities. The ship recycling industry argues that the Navy program, known as Sinkex, takes away civilian jobs.

 

The Navy claims that it removes all toxic substances from the ships before they are attacked and sunk. However, since the 1990s the program has been criticized for doing a less than complete job.

 

When the USS America aircraft carrier was towed out to sea and sunk in 2005 (at a cost of $22 million), it took with it toxic substances, including more than 500 pounds of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), a chemical banned by the U.S. in 1979 because of its harmful impact on the food chain, which, in this case, it enters through fish.

-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky

 

 

Navy 'Sinkex' Raises Pollution Fear (by Jason Dearen, Associated Press)

US Navy Ship Sinking Exercises (SINKEX) (Navy Site)