Anti-foul paint and the marine environment

Guidance to prevent anti-foul paint entering the marine environment 

Please remember it is YOUR responsibility to ensure that no pollution, solid or liquid enters the marine environment. The following guidance will help users prevent pollution from the removal or application of anti-foul paint from entering the marine environment:  

• Skirt the hull when scrubbing down or painting the hull and use a tarpaulin or horticultural fleece to catch the flakes and drips. Don't leave a coloured patch under your boat!
• If washing off on a slipway, use a device such as a loop of rope to surround your work area to act as a bund to trap any paint particulates and then sweep up and dispose as hazardous waste.
• Use of a pressure washers is not permitted on the scrubbing grids. When scrubbing use the minimum amount of pressure required to remove the growth. By scrubbing too hard you will also be removing the protection of the anti-foul by removing the paint itself. If run off is heavily coloured you are using too much force.
• Select the right type of antifouling for your craft and boat usage - take advice from your chandlery. Use water-based paints where possible or low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints. Always apply new paint according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Dispose of any scrapings, paint tins, brushes and other materials in an appropriate way as they are all hazardous. Do not put them into rubbish bins unless they are specifically designated for that purpose.

What alternatives are there? 

There are several choices, but their suitability varies according to boat type and the amount of use they get.

• Look into alternative hull paints, such as hard vinyl, silicone or teflon, which are suitable for in-water hull cleaning systems.
• Consider using a closed loop wash down system ashore such as those provided by the two local marinas.

Further information on how boat users can protect the marine environment can be found at The Green Blue. Click on the logo below for more information.