Environment Team Completes Boat Wash-Down Study
4 August 2011Following on from the expansion of the Environmental Services offered by Marina Projects, the environment team have recently undertaken a study into the environmental impact of using cleaning products to wash-down topsides, decks and super structures of boats at a major superyacht port in the Mediterranean.
The practice of cleaning down the decks and topsides of yachts whilst berthed in marinas is commonplace and is particularly prevalent with superyachts (vessels over 30m length) that are necessarily maintained to a high standard by professional crews. Many of the products used to clean the vessels contain chemicals which have at least a perceived potential to be harmful to the marine environment. There is currently no legislation that specifically addresses the use of boat wash down products above the water level and very little guidance is available on cleaning practices and the use of associated cleaning products. A need was identified by our client to assess the cleaning products currently on the market and the associated potential impacts on the marine environment with a view to providing best practice advice for suitable products and usage and Marina Projects was commissioned to undertake this assessment.
The predominantly desk-based study assessed a number of commonly used cleaning products based upon their chemical composition and a review of toxicity literature. The products were then categorised based on their chemical composition and potential toxicity with categories ranging from; not deemed to be toxic and therefore recommended for use to; potentially toxic chemicals present within the product and therefore not recommended for use.
The study found that there are a number of products on the market which contain natural ingredients already present in the environment and are 100 percent biodegradable, breaking down into chemicals which are not deemed toxic to the marine environment. Many products were found to have limited or no information on the make-up of the product and a conclusion of the study was that such products should not be used until the necessary level of information is made available.
In addition to using more environmentally safe products there is recognition that the method of application is also important and a number of best practice measures were identified which if undertaken, in combination with the recommended products, would limit the amount of cleaning products potentially entering the marine environment. The intention of the best practice measures being to further reduce the risk of any negative impacts on the marine environment.