Plastic fibres stunt growth in mussels by more than a third – here's why this is a concern A study shows that exposure to polyester microfibres inhibits growth in mussels. https://theconversation.com/plastic-fibres-stunt-growth-in-mussels-by-more-than-a-third-heres-why-this-is-a-concern-201985 Plastic pollution poses a threat to marine wildlife. Th...

On Jan 31st 2023, BeachPeople (an ocean sports club based in Sandbanks, Dorset) arranged a meeting between Cllr Mark Anderson of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, Poole Harbour Commissioner Lee Hardy, ruth Barden and Natatlie poulter both from Wessex Water and Dr Corina Ciocan from Birghton University.The aim of the meeting was to unders...

According to a recent survey, there are an estimated six million boats in the EU alone, 95% of which are made of GRP (glass reinforced plastic). Every year, around 1-2% (60,000-120,000) of these boats reach the end of their useful life. Of these, only 2,000 are recycled, while 6,000-9,000 are abandoned. Recycling old boats is an expensive business,...

Warnings have been given about the environmental impact of glass fibre boats sinking in Poole Harbour. At a meeting of BCP Council recently, resident Phil Hanchett called on BCP Council to support a campaign which aims to collect the sunken vessels in the harbour. Speaking to councillors at the full council meeting in November, he said: "Following ...

On the 16th November 2022, BeachPeople (an ocean sports club based near Sandbanks in Dorset) raised the following question at the Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole (BCP)  monthly cabinet meeting: Following a recent study in Chichester Harbour it was found that derelict glass fibre boats do not biodegrade; rather they degrade into strands...

Microscopic analysis of oysters, mussels and sediment from Chichester Harbour has uncovered a dizzying number of glass fibres linked back to boatyards and derelict vessels. A derelict GRP boat. Credit: Boatbreakers.com The 'really worrying' findings by University of Brighton researchers who undertook studies off the coast of Hampshire and West Suss...

New initiative to look at the rise in abandoned boats - Yachting Monthly The number of abandoned boats around the coasts of the UK and Europe is growing. Now a new initiative is to look at the scale of the problemhttps://www.yachtingmonthly.com/news/new-initiative-to-look-at-the-rise-in-abandoned-boats-88288 The scale of boat dumping around the UK ...

Half a century from the beginning of Glass-Reinforced Plastic (GRP) production, there is now a strong need to find a sustainable solution for the recycling of this material, which does not currently know effective large-scale processes that can allow its reuse, to the point that the use of landfills and incineration for their "end of life" is still...

It's been called the fly-tipping of the maritime world. Hundreds of plastic boats are dumped on foreshores and tidal creeks around Devon and Cornwall. The problem is costing authorities thousands of pounds, harming the environment and can be seen from space but dealing with it has, in some cases, become "torturous". Sinking into the mud of Hooe Lak...

It's the elephant in the cabin, the big question that's been looming for decades: 'What do we do with old GRP boats?' writes Nic Compton.Anyone who has been for a beach walk in popular boating areas in the UK can't help but have noticed the growing number of abandoned boats accumulating on the foreshore or collecting moss up some leafy creek.Most b...

In some other parts of the world this problem is taken seriously. The USA state of California, (you know, the one that defied Trump's efforts to undermine the state's right to fight climate change) has taken a tough approach. Owners found guilty of abandoning a vessel are fined $1,000 – $3,000 plus the considerable costs of removal and disposal. Ho...

The problem of sensible and effective fiberglass disposal is well documented, and proven technological and regulatory solutions are available. So why does practical end-of-life disposal for old composite boats remain elusive? It's 2021 and we are still trying to figure out how to best deal with derelict fiberglass boats. In the United States and ma...

Steve Franklin is on a mission. He's made it his business to deal with the increasing numbers of boats in the UK reaching the end of their useful lives, too many of which end up abandoned in marinas or cluttering up creeks around the country. It's a growing problem which the UK's boating industry – unlike most other European countries – seems to be...

Support for UK boat scrapping scheme - Yachting Monthly A solution to the problem of end-of-life boats and how to dispose of them could be on the horizon https://www.yachtingmonthly.com/news/support-for-uk-boat-scrapping-scheme-68479 A working party has been set up by the European Boating Association (EBA) to look at the issue of end-of-life boats ...

International Maritime Organisation 2019END-OF-LIFE MANAGEMENT OF FIBRE REINFORCED PLASTIC VESSELS: ALTERNATIVES TO AT SEA DISPOSAL In 2016, the London Convention and London Protocol (LC/LP) governing bodies, having reviewedthe LC/LP Scientific Groups' discussion on the widespread nature of the problem of disposing of fibreglass vessels, particular...