Alang Final 
Harshal Devnani
Student ID: 1001757672
ENG100
Professor D. Flynn
The sacrificed in the ‘Sacrifice zone’.
This paper aims to show environmental damage caused in the distribution section of the materials economy by focusing on the negative impact of the shipping business, an industry that is essential for the survival of our global economy’s metabolism. However, analyzing the environmental impact of the entire shipping industry is too large a scope of research for a paper of this size.
Therefore, this paper will focus on a case study of one of the largest ship graveyards in the world – Alang (Kutch, India). Along with establishing proof of catastrophic environmental damage and human rights violations, this paper will also show that the workers facing these violations are in a cyclical poverty trap where leaving is not an option. This essay aims to conclude its argument by showing that the issues faced (by the workers) at Alang are not forcefully suppressive in nature (as represented by environmental and human rights groups) but rather suppressed in a financial manner, a poverty trap is what stops them from leaving. To prove that the workers are not suppressed, this paper uses first hand sources that show how the workers really feel. This also briefly highlights another causal chain; the misunderstanding of poverty and the third world by Greenpeace in one if not many cases.
Alang is selected as a case study because it is the most significant in the repertoire of environmental and human rights cases around the globe Shipping is arguably the largest mode of bulk distribution in the world. The disposal of hundred thousands of retired ships containing toxic materials takes place in environmental ‘sacrifice zones’ around the third-world, Alang being the largest with over 11000 ships every year (Source 5). In the 1990’s, it was estimated that Alang digested half the dilapidating ships of the decade. With it’s 40,000 migrant laborers and extremely low fixed costs
Student ID: 1001757672
ENG100
Professor D. Flynn
The sacrificed in the ‘Sacrifice zone’.
This paper aims to show environmental damage caused in the distribution section of the materials economy by focusing on the negative impact of the shipping business, an industry that is essential for the survival of our global economy’s metabolism. However, analyzing the environmental impact of the entire shipping industry is too large a scope of research for a paper of this size.
Therefore, this paper will focus on a case study of one of the largest ship graveyards in the world – Alang (Kutch, India). Along with establishing proof of catastrophic environmental damage and human rights violations, this paper will also show that the workers facing these violations are in a cyclical poverty trap where leaving is not an option. This essay aims to conclude its argument by showing that the issues faced (by the workers) at Alang are not forcefully suppressive in nature (as represented by environmental and human rights groups) but rather suppressed in a financial manner, a poverty trap is what stops them from leaving. To prove that the workers are not suppressed, this paper uses first hand sources that show how the workers really feel. This also briefly highlights another causal chain; the misunderstanding of poverty and the third world by Greenpeace in one if not many cases.
Alang is selected as a case study because it is the most significant in the repertoire of environmental and human rights cases around the globe Shipping is arguably the largest mode of bulk distribution in the world. The disposal of hundred thousands of retired ships containing toxic materials takes place in environmental ‘sacrifice zones’ around the third-world, Alang being the largest with over 11000 ships every year (Source 5). In the 1990’s, it was estimated that Alang digested half the dilapidating ships of the decade. With it’s 40,000 migrant laborers and extremely low fixed costs