Brazil sinks aircraft carrier in Atlantic despite presence of asbestos and toxic materials

[Still Waters]

Brazil has sunk a decommissioned aircraft carrier despite environmental groups claiming the former French ship was packed with toxic materials.

The “planned and controlled sinking occurred late in the afternoon” on Friday, 350km off the Brazilian coast in the Atlantic Ocean, in an area with an approximate depth of 5,000 meters (16,000 feet), the navy said in a statement.

The decision to scuttle the six-decade-old São Paulo, announced Thursday, came after Brazilian authorities had tried in vain to find a port willing to welcome it.

Though defence officials said they would sink the vessel in the “safest area”, environmentalists criticised the decision, saying the aircraft carrier contained tons of asbestos, heavy metals and other toxic materials that could leach into the water and pollute the marine food chain.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/04/brazil-sinks-aircraft-carrier-in-atlantic-despite-presence-of-asbestos-and-toxic-materials

[bmk1245]

I would understand sinking in shallow waters for tourists...  Is it cheaper to dig out iron ore to produce steel than recycling already made steel?  

[+and-then]

50 minutes ago, bmk1245 said:

I would understand sinking in shallow waters for tourists...  Is it cheaper to dig out iron ore to produce steel than recycling already made steel?  

I think that they could have sold it to a breaker yard for recycling if it hadn't had all the pollutants on board.  It would probably cost more than it's worth to properly clean up and dispose of the asbestos and other chemicals.  

[bmk1245]

3 minutes ago, and-then said:

I think that they could have sold it to a breaker yard for recycling if it hadn't had all the pollutants on board.  It would probably cost more than it's worth to properly clean up and dispose of the asbestos and other chemicals.  

OK, but seems to me its throwing out resources. Any chemicals/asbestos would burn in steel recycling process.