Inside The World's Largest Ship-Breaking Facility (March, 2018)

For the fifth year in a row, India is the top destination for ship breaking, or decommissioning ships. But there's a huge cost to workers and their families. Alang-Sosiya is the world's largest ship breaking yard in a country where on average 30% to 40% of the world's ships are sent to be dismantled annually. The sprawling ship yard brings in nearly a billion dollars a year for India. High premiums on recycled steel and India's low environmental regulations have made Alang one of the most cost effective markets for ship breaking. The industry has been criticized as a form of "toxic colonialism" for taking a huge toll on the environment and exploiting unskilled workers. Decommissioned ships are rife with hazardous compounds like asbestos and TBT. "Water is the most important change. If the water is good, all is good. There will be less sickness," Ship breaker Sri Ram Yadav told VICE News. "After working for six months here, I thought my health was ruined.

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The neighbouring yards in Pakistan and Bangladesh are worse for workers than India. Mention is made of "migrant" workers at the yards, I presume they mean people from the northern states of India?