- A policy paper released by Pacific Environment reveals that there is a huge body of scientific work and studies that show that Exhaust Gas Control Systems (ECGS) – otherwise known as scrubbers – are detrimental to the marine environment, wildlife and people’s health.
- Recent scientific studies show that scrubber discharge is extremely toxic to marine life at very low concentrations, and scrubber discharge may have a serious impact on the populations of key species of marine food webs.
Pacific Environment has released a policy paper calling on the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban the discharge of ships’ exhaust gas control systems (ECGS) in US waters in light of ‘new and substantial data’, reports Bunkerspot.
Ban on toxic scrubber discharges
In a statement, Pacific Environment said that it has compiled 26 recent studies ‘showing the breadth and depth of new and substantial data’ on scrubber discharge’s impact on marine life and marine food webs.
Pacific Environment reported that pending regulations are now being finalised under the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA) which will require the EPA to develop national standards of performance for incidental discharges.
The climate NGO added that: ‘The EPA issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in October 2020, but the rule has not yet been finalised.’
In a summary of restrictions on discharges from scrubbers issued on 11 August 2020, the EPA said that there was ‘insufficient data exist at this time to warrant prohibiting these discharges under the Clean Water Act’ – but added that it would ‘continue to monitor the availability of research findings compiled in connection with these discussions’.
Kay Brown, Arctic Policy Director, Pacific Environment, commented: ‘Substantial data has been published since EPA’s 2020 initial consideration to regulate scrubbers. This new information documenting the harms to our marine environment and wildlife compels action now. More than 90 jurisdictions across the globe have enacted scrubber discharge bans and restrictions -and the United States should follow their lead. We call on the EPA and President Biden to end the use of scrubbers now.’
Click here to access the Pacific Environment report, Ship pollution: From air to ocean. The science on pollution scrubbers and why EPA should ban scrubber discharge.
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Source: Bunkerspot
