Oil and Fuel
Pleasure craft tend to
carry light weight petroleum products rather than heavy crude oil
and even though an incident caused by light weight petroleum would
not have the catastrophic effect of smothering wildlife, these
refined oils can be more toxic than crude oil.
When these oils enter the
water they can be absorbed by shell fish and small marine organisms
and the toxins accumulate in the food chain causing physiological
and reproductive defects, reduced growth and feeding, deformity,
cancers, mutations and ecological changes in many marine
species.
Not
surprisingly the use, transport and storage of oils and fuels are
regulated and it is important that all marine facilities understand
their legal responsibilities. These responsibilities are laid out
in BMF’s
Environmental Code of Practice (ECOP).
Best Practice Advice Leaflets & Resources Marine Toolkit
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