On 24 January, 14 environmental organizations, led by NABU, sent a letter to the OSPAR Commission urging an immediate ban on discharging wastewater from scrubbers within the 12-nautical-mile coastal zones of the Atlantic, North Sea, and English Channel.
As stated by the Organizations in their letter to the OSPAR Commission (Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic), the resulting wastewater from scrubbers – laden with sulfur, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other toxic containments of residual oil – is discharged into the sea, posing significant threats to marine ecosystems and biodiversity.
By implementing the 12-nautical-mile discharge ban, as announced by Denmark already, OSPAR would reinforce its commitment to marine protection and demonstrate the power of regional regulatory body to act against unsustainable practices.
… said the Organizations.
Many studies confirm that scrubber wastewater significantly harms marine life and long-term accumulation of toxics jeopardizes efforts to achieve Good Environmental Status that should be maintained or reached through EU marine policies, the signatories point out.
Delaying action would also set a concerning precedent, implying that progress on regional protection can be indefinitely postponed in favor of global-level consensus, even when robust evidence supports immediate intervention. According to the letter, by advancing the discharge ban, OSPAR would demonstrate its commitment to proactive, science-based decision-making, reinforcing its role as a regional leader in marine conservation.
The science is clear: heavy fuel oil scrubbers harm our oceans, and precautionary measures must be prioritized. Moreover, the prolonged use of heavy fuel oil bears the risks of disastrous oil spills and raises the emissions of climate killer Black Carbon.
… said NABU shipping expert Sönke Diesener.
