Tributyl Tin (Hansard, 5 July 1994)

§ Mr. Ainger
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration has been given to extending the ban on the use of tributyl tin on small craft to include all vessels.

§ Mr. Atkins
Tributyl tin use on large vessels is an international concern which is being addressed by the marine environment protection Committee of the International Maritime Organisation. Members agreed in 1990 to consider appropriate ways of prohibiting totally, in the future, the use of tributyl tin compounds in anti-fouling paints for ships and the need for this was confirmed at the intermediate ministerial meeting of the North Sea Conference in December 1993. At the March 1994 meeting of the MEPC, however, the Committee recognised that at the present time alternative systems were not available whose cost could be justified by the benefits.

§ Mr. Ainger
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what measures are being taken to protect marine wildlife from the effects of tributyl tin;
(2) what plans the Government have to restrict the use of tributyl tin.

§ Mr. Atkins
Controls introduced in the United Kingdom in 1987 preventing the use of anti-foulants containing tributyl tin compounds on small boats and aquaculture equipment have resulted in significant improvements in water quality. Monitoring suggests that even the most sensitive species, the dogwhelk, is beginning to recover in many areas. Dockyard operations involving removal and application of anti-fouling paints containing tributyl tin compounds will become subject to integrated pollution control and require authorisation by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution from 1995.

§ Mr. Ainger
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been carried out on the effects of tributyl tin on shellfish and marine wildlife.

§ Mr. Atkins
The Government have undertaken a substantial amount of work since 1982 on the effects of tributyl tin compounds used in anti-foulants, both within their own laboratories and through contracts with the Natural Environment Research Council and other organisations. Initially, the research was aimed mainly at establishing the nature and extent of toxic effects in non-target organisms and the results justified the regulation of anti-foulants containing tributyl tin compounds in 1987. Subsequent research has monitored the effectiveness of the regulations by assessing levels of contamination in, and the recovery of, commercially important shellfish and other components of the marine ecosystem including the dogwhelk, the most sensitive species.