Seven ships probed after Britain's worst seabird pollution disaster in decades

Investigators probing the seabird pollution disaster have identified a possible seven ships responsible for the deadly chemical leak, it has emerged. 

More than 3,000 guillemots, razorbills and other rare birds have washed up along Dorset, Devon and Cornwall coated in a glue-like lubricant, polyisobutylene (PIB). 

The substance, typically added to engine oils, first wiped out hundreds of birds in February but the source was never identified. 

Officials at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are hunting the boat responsible for leaking it into the sea - which prompted Britain's worst marine disaster for decades. 

The MCA has now narrowed its search for the source of the deadly leak to seven possible vessels. 

Katie Ware, UK representative to the International Maritime Organisation, said: "The MCA counter-pollution team has identified an area and a time-slot when we think that this discharge was made. 

"We have identified a possible 62 ships that transited the area at that time and we've managed to narrow the number down to a possible seven ships which could have caused the discharge." 

Dead and ailing birds started appearing earlier this year prompting demands for a ban on discharges of PIB, which can currently be released legally under certain conditions. 

The MCA says it will prosecute the boat responsible if the release turns out to have been unlawful. 

Wildlife agencies say the toll of dead birds from both spills has reached 2,400, with 500 more receiving urgent medical care. 

The grim figure tops the 1,900 contaminated or killed following the beaching of the ship MSC Napoli off the Devon coast in 2007. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/10044500/Seven-ships-probed-after-Britains-worst-seabird-pollution-disaster-in-decades.html

RSPB calls for action to prevent substance identified in seabird tragedy causing further deaths

The RSPB has today called for tighter international regulations to prevent a substance implicated in the deaths of thousands of seabirds from being released into our seas. 

The substance, Polyisobutene (or PIB), was yesterday identified by scientists at the University of Plymouth from samples taken from seabirds washed up along the south west coasts, which accords with analysis done separately by the Environment Agency.

PIB is believed to have been responsible for over 4,000 seabird deaths in at least four incidents around European coasts in recent years [1994* off Merseyside; 1998** and 2010 off the Dutch coast, and the current incident on the south coast of England], yet is currently given one of the lowest hazard classifications under MARPOL [category Z, substances presenting a minor hazard to either marine resources or human health and therefore justifying less stringent restrictions on the quality and quantity of discharge into the marine environment]. 

The RSPB has pointed to evidence*** that raises questions about the validity of this classification, and believes the current classification does not take into consideration the impact on marine wildlife when PIB mixes with sea water - the effects of PIB are only tested under laboratory conditions which do not take into account harmful changes to seabirds and the marine environment when mixed with sea water.  As a result, PIB can still legally be dumped into the sea when vessels wash out their tanks.

Alec Taylor, the RSPB’s Marine Policy Officer, said: "Given that this substance is used for making chewing gum, adhesive tape and cosmetics, millions of people safely come into contact with it every day. However, it's when it mixes with sea water that this chemical can become lethal for seabirds, covering them in a sticky goo, and preventing them from flying, feeding and ultimately surviving." 

Read more:  http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/339845-rspb-calls-for-action-to-prevent-substance-identified-in-seabird-tragedy-causing-further-deaths?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=News