Inside the shipbreaking yards of Chittagong - in pictures

A shipbreaking yard near Chittagong, Bangladesh Photograph: Claudio Cambon/Alamy Bangladesh's steel supply comes almost entirely from the shipbreaking industry but PCBs and oil deposits are left on beaches as part of the process Photograph: Andrew Holbrooke/Corbis Shipbreakers use a metal rope to drag large sections cut from the hull closer to shore Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian The shipbreaking teams sleep for a few hours onsite before heading back to work Photograph: Rex Features People employed by the dismantling companies take apart the giant carcasses, which contain asbestos and other toxic materials, without protective clothing or proper equipment Photograph: Rex Features Shipbreakers are exposed to toxic waste and oil residue as they break the sheet metal into pieces Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian The oil tanker Lara 1 is dismantled in the Rising Steel shipbreaking yard Photograph: John Vidal/The Observer Photograph: John Vidal/The Observer Workers carry material in the shipbreaking yard Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian Photograph: Sean Smith/Action images Workers stand near the tanker Lara 1 Photograph: Larry Luxner/The Observer Photograph: Larry Luxner/The Observer Heavy physical labour is necessary as the workers lack the proper machinery Photograph: John Vidal/The Observer Photograph: John Vidal/The Observer The partly demolished hull of the tanker Lara 1 Photograph: Larry Luxner/The Observer Photograph: Larry Luxner/The Observer A shipbreaker uses a welding torch to break up a ship Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian