After a bit of research I discovered that antifouling paints aren’t necessarily all that bad, as long as they do not contain the chemical TBT.
The International Marine Organization (IMO) has banned the use of antifouling paints that contain TBT. This is a step forward but enforcing this law is what really matters.
One company, said to be the largest paint company in the world, Interlux, has created a TBT free paint product that offers the same level of protection as TBT based products. This offers boat owners a legal, environmentally friendlier way to protect their boats from fouling. The new and improved “Biolux SPC” paint, however, continues to release biocide into the water as it protects the boat. I found mixed reviews on the impacts of TBT free biocide to the environment, some reports say its fine and others, damaging. Not to disregard biocide as an issue, but to point out something that may outweigh its impacts is the fact that, without antifouling paints (TBT or not) the amounts of fossil fuels, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emitted into the atmosphere due to drag created by fouling, is enormous. So perhaps with this in mind, released biocides from TBT free antifouling paints are bearable considering the alternative? Yes in a perfect world neither would be acceptable, but unfortunately and fortunately we are still trying to live in a world of compromise.
The International Marine Organization (IMO) has banned the use of antifouling paints that contain TBT. This is a step forward but enforcing this law is what really matters.
One company, said to be the largest paint company in the world, Interlux, has created a TBT free paint product that offers the same level of protection as TBT based products. This offers boat owners a legal, environmentally friendlier way to protect their boats from fouling. The new and improved “Biolux SPC” paint, however, continues to release biocide into the water as it protects the boat. I found mixed reviews on the impacts of TBT free biocide to the environment, some reports say its fine and others, damaging. Not to disregard biocide as an issue, but to point out something that may outweigh its impacts is the fact that, without antifouling paints (TBT or not) the amounts of fossil fuels, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emitted into the atmosphere due to drag created by fouling, is enormous. So perhaps with this in mind, released biocides from TBT free antifouling paints are bearable considering the alternative? Yes in a perfect world neither would be acceptable, but unfortunately and fortunately we are still trying to live in a world of compromise.
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