Green warriors are set to take on the Bermudian Government if controversial plans to dump asbestos in the sea off the Island go ahead.

Environmental group Greenpeace has pledged action to disrupt the process, scheduled to be carried out at an old munitions dump 18 miles offshore.

A spokeswoman for the London office of the international pollution watchdogs confirmed Greenpeace members, controlled from Atlanta, were on standby.

She said: "It doesn't have to be a sea-based action, but my understanding it will probably be a sea-going vessel.'' Greenpeace activists are experts at disruption. They stopped the dumping of toxic chemical waste at sea by Japan and occupied the disused Brent Spar oil rig in the North Sea off Scotland, which owners Shell wanted to sink.

But the spokeswoman added US activists were more likely to use small, fast boats rather than major vessels like the world-famous Rainbow Warrior .

And she said: "For reasons I'm sure people will understand we don't discuss our plans in detail.'' Works and Engineering Minister Leonard Gibbons said yesterday he did not know exactly when dumping would start -- but that it would probably be this month.

He admitted he did not know if protection of the barges in the event of direct action by Greenpeace would be the responsibility of the Bermuda Police or the Royal Navy.

And Mr. Gibbons refused to comment on whether Government would back down in the face of Greenpeace action.

There are 165 containers of asbestos on the Island, with most stored at the Government quarry.

A war of words broke out earlier this year when Government announced it was to dump the waste at sea -- even though the steel containers will rust in seawater.

Government insisted the dumping fell within the London Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution because asbestos was not "waste'' as defined by the convention, but a finished product.

And Ministers said asbestos -- which causes cancer when the dust is breathed -- was biologically and chemically inert and would be the safest option.

But Greenpeace toxic waste spokesman Kenny Bruno said Bermuda's interpretation of the rules left the way open for the dumping of lead paint, oil rigs, old cars and appliances at sea.

He also warned that the effects of asbestos on marine life were unknown and added some experts had questioned the substance's biological safety in a sea environment.