More than 4,000 birds have been washed up on beaches covered in polyisobutene (PIB).
Although not directly toxic to seabirds, polyisobutene becomes sticky when it comes into contact with seawater, coating the plumage of seabirds, restricting their movements and preventing them from feeding.
Joan Edwards, from the Wildlife Trusts’ Living Seas Programme, described the aftermath of the recent discharges of PIB as “carnage on the beaches”.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is currently investigating whether the deaths were the result of illegal activity.
David Balston, director of safety and environment at the
UK Chamber of Shipping, said: “Although no regulation can eliminate the possibility of illegal activity, we strongly support an urgent review to see how best to help prevent a recurrence of the recent deaths and injury to wildlife.”
The
UK Chamber of Shippingand the wider industry body MaritimeUK have backed leading wildlife conservation and animal welfare charities in calling for an urgent review of the hazard classification status of PIB.
It is legal to discharge PIB in small quantities, based on certain conditions as set out by the international MARPOL Convention (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships).
However, the impacts of PIB on marine ecosystems, as well as the amount of PIB released routinely as part of legal shipping operations, are not well known or understood.
To date no-one has been successfully prosecuted for illegally discharging PIB from ships in European waters.
Alec Taylor, marine policy officer for the RSPB, said: “The needless deaths of thousands of seabirds on our beaches has sickened and angered many people.
“With support from the shipping industry, we’re hoping that the UK Government can push for tighter regulations preventing the discharge of PIB into the sea for good.”
Pollution programme manager at the Marine Conservation Society, Dr Robert Keirle, said: “The International Maritime Organisation meeting this week must reclassify PIB as soon as possible under the International Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Shipping.”