CHEMICALS FROM ECE TANKER UNLIKELY TO POSE HEALTH RISKS TO WATER USERS

ECE, the chemical tanker currently listing in the English Channel between
Start Point and Guernsey is unlikely to pose a health risk to recreational
water users believes Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).

The phosphoric acid contained on board is classified as a category D
chemical (lowest category of MARPOL’s s Annex II prevention of Pollution By
Chemicals Rating). This would present a recognisable hazard to either marine
resources or human health, but due to the buffering effect of the ocean
(from the presence of carbon dioxide dissolved within it) any change to the
pH in the sea will be reduced. Added to this, the effects of diffusion and
dispersion should mean that any leaked acid should not pose a significant
threat.

Chemical tanker accidents can however cause significant environmental damage
and are a far greater pollution threat than that of crude oil. With shipping
disasters in crude oil already causing so much environmental damage over the
past 40 years a major chemical tanker spill could be devastating.

The ECE chemical tanker is registered in the Marshall Islands – a Flag of
Convenience country. A flag of convenience ship is one that flies the flag
of a country other than the country of ownership. Cheap registration fees,
low or no taxes and freedom to employ cheap labour are often the motivating
factors behind a shipowner’s decision to ‘flag out’ (International Transport
Federation). Many shipping accident that lead to pollution have involved
ships operating under flags of convenience.
Richard Hardy, SAS Campaigns Director says: “It looks like this incident
shouldn’t result in lasting environmental damage but it does again act as a
reminder of just how busy the UK’s shipping lanes are and that we remain
vulnerable to a bigger pollution incident unless radical improvements are
made in making shipping safer”.

Check out the 2005/2006 Surfers Against Sewage campaign film at:
www.avthree.co.uk/sascampaigns.htm

The film covers all our campaign topics and includes footage from recent
actions.

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), Wheal Kitty Workshops, St Agnes, Cornwall, TR5
0RD. Tel: 01872 555950 (campaign office)
www.sas.org.uk