Saw this on their group, sounds like they are having asbestos problems, probably on a bigger scale than we have:

The owner of the s.s. Rotterdam published the next statement:

"As the owner of SS Rotterdam we hereby maintain our position in the
case of the steamship’s refurbishment in Poland. We also wish to inform
that we are in possession of an official statement by the Polish
Ministry of Maritime Economy, confirming that our appeal from the Maritime
Office decision’s has not been rejected. The Minister has not made a
decision yet.
In relation to the negative decision of the Maritime Office in Gdynia
with instructions for us to leave Poland due to import of dangerous
substances into the Polish territory, we wish to state that the main reason
for this decision can be removed without any harmful effects. Other
restoration works on the ship, including removal of asbestos, can be
performed in suitable conditions as today we signed an agreement with
Stocznia Gdanska SA.
On 6th July 2006, the Chief Inspector of Environment Protection and the
Dutch Ministry of Environment (WROM) jointly agreed the procedure and
technology of removal of bags out of SS Rotterdam which form the basis
of the negative decision by the Maritime Office. These procedures are
completely safe for health and environment and approved by the Polish
authorities, hence the claim of environmental threat in the port area
cannot be justified. The works are to be performed by a specialist company
in possession of a valid KOMO certificate regarding the procedure of
asbestos removal in accordance with the valid regulations as per
assessment directive BRL 5050, and current Polish laws and regulations.
A Dutch ship Selicca is ready to take the bags with asbestos waste.
They will be transported to Hengelo port in Holland, where, also in
accordance with all security procedures, they will be delivered to the waste
disposal area. As such the requirement included in GIOS decision issued
on 21st June and instructing Rederij de Rotterdam BV to transport about
500 m3 of asbestos waste to Holland is fulfilled.
The Rotterdam’s restoration contract with Stocznia Gdanska SA states
that the work is to be carried out at one of the Stocznia Gdanska’s
wharfs. The first stage of the restoration includes removal of asbestos
itself and elements of the ship’s equipment contaminated with asbestos from
the ship. This task will be performed by a Polish company Algader
Hofman, with proved experience in removal of asbestos waste. All materials
containing asbestos or contaminated with asbestos will be safely and
methodically transported and stored in disposal area TKK Kodersdorf GmbH
in Germany."

While the asbestos issue is certainly causing problems with the Rotterdam, the presence of about 1200 tons of the stuff has delayed the beaching and scrapping of the SS Blue Lady, better known as SS Norway (nee SS France). Greenpeace is having a fit, and the Indian Supreme Court has baaned the beaching of the ship until they have a chance to review the report of a special environmental commission sent to assess the actual amount of asbestos and the potential hazard to the men who work in the scrap yard.

In the meantime, a group in Dubai is working to purchase the Blue Lady from the Indian shipbreakers for use as a hotel and conference center. She would be restored as the SS France. Had it not been for the asbestos on board, she would have been beached in Bangladesh earlier this year. The government of Bangladesh banned her from their territorial waters.