THE concern expressed over the imminent arrival of redundant warships to Hartlepool is understandable.

At face value, there appears to be no economic sense in the decision to send the vessels thousands of miles across the Atlantic rather than scrap them in the United States.

The fact that US authorities are prepared to meet the burden of extra costs is therefore bound to ignite a debate about the environmental risks.

Able UK, which won the contract to dismantle the ships, has accused the environmental lobby of scaremongering. The company is adamant that the work will be carried out under the most stringent safety procedures.

The employment opportunities provided by the contract cannot be overlooked. With shipbuilding in our region struggling to survive, there is merit in looking for alternative uses for the skills and facilities of our shipyards.

However, irrefutable evidence needs to be presented that there are no undue risks attached to such a contract.

While the creation and safeguarding of jobs is vital to our region, we must strike a balance between the needs of the economy and the needs of the environment.

We must avoid circumstances where Britain becomes the dumping ground for hazardous waste that all other countries are too afraid to handle.