I.O.I. Training programme

I.O.I. Training programme

Marine PollutionBulletin named 'EAP 12', which acts by persuading a family of micro-organisms to 'eat' hydrocarbons. The company's researchers claim t...

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Marine PollutionBulletin named 'EAP 12', which acts by persuading a family of micro-organisms to 'eat' hydrocarbons. The company's researchers claim that controlled oil pollution sea trials showed 60°70 of hydrocarbons to have disappeared after one week compared with 12-15 °70that disappear in an untreated environment. EAP 12 works by helping bacteria develop very rapidly where seawater mixes with oil. These micro-organisms are hungry for phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon. When there is no oil remaining, and consequently no further carbon to feed on, the organisms die. Quantities of the products required to tackle spilled oil will be approximately the same as dispersants - about 10°70 of the volume of oil.

developed by the International Ocean Institute on marine resources management and conservation in the Indian Ocean Basin and adjacent seas. Held in Goa, India, this was the first in a series of regional programmes designed to provide government officials with an opportunity to improve their understanding of ocean management. During the Indian Ocean course, participants were involved in field trips to the Maldive Islands and other parts of India.

Pest Pollution Problems

Spotter planes and ships' propellers were recently utilized to deal with a temporary pollution hazard in Budapest- the discharge into the river of some 20 000 m 3 of domestic and industrial effluent daily for about two weeks. The discharge was necessitated by major engineering works to extend the underground railway network and Environmental and congressional groups are claiming that install a new sewerage system. The twin cities of Buda and the first two years of the Reagan administration have taken a Pest, which were unified only in the last century, still have heavy toll of the United States environment. The US has, separate water and sewerage systems. The effluent they say, taken a negative stance in current international discharged in this case came from the Pest side, where discussions about the testing of new chemicals and acid rain, almost all the capital's industry is situated. During the while, on the domestic front, critics say the White House administration is running a policy of 'repeal (of environ- emergency, water quality was monitored every two hours around the clock, and aerial surveys made of the progress of mental protection laws) by neglect.' During the first year of the pollution down the river. Near the junction of the main Reagan's term, the number of pollution violation cases fiver and the Reckever-Duna channel which branches off referred to government lawyers fell by 69°70 and Federal from it to the south of the city, ships were stationed to create inspections of hazardous waste dumps have dropped turbulence with their propellers, so that the effluent did not sharply. enter the channel which has little natural scour. Budapest is the seat of the international Danube Commission and hence (although the Commission is primarily concerned with shipping matters), one might expect particular attention to be paid to all pollution affecting the river. Although, as the recent episode confirms, the authorities are A United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) scrupulous in their efforts, some individual factories and Regional Seas report, The Status of Oil Pollution and Oil plants along the banks are less careful. A recent scandal, Pollution Control in the West and Central African Region, reported in the party daily Nepszabadsag almost simulreveals that operational discharges from tankers "amount taneously with the announcement of the temporary sewage to the greatest tanker-related dose of oil pollution into the discharge, concerned a group of factories at Vac, also on the marine environment". Pest side, but just north of the city limits. Here, 'irresponThis amounted to a discharge of about 7119 barrels of oil sible' effluent dumping had endangered the domestic water per trip for a 200 000 ton tanker, and traffic in the region supply of several tens of thousands of inhabitants, and covered by the r e p o r t - t h e 17 African nations extending threatened the smooth working of a number of other entersouthward along the west coast of Africa from Senegal to prises in the area. The intake pumps of the water supply Angola - is estimated to be about 1765 VLCC passages and system became so polluted that, finally, a conduit had to be 5883 'mid sized' tanker trips per year. constructed from Szentendre Island in the Danube. One of Consequently the report says that as oil production in the worst offenders, the Chinoin plant, was fined 20 million West and Central Africa has dramatically increased to 21 forints (around £3 million), and a further Ft 30 million costs million barrels a day, so has the level of onshore and for the expert survey of the polluted water, and was then offshore pollution. It also estimates that production and compelled to undertake a further Ft 50 million investment refining operations will result in at least one spill per year in programme to make it impossible for the pollution to be excess of 40 000 gallons. The report notes gloomily that the repeated. 17 nations have almost no oil pollution control equipment or In spite of the grand total outlay of Ft 100 million (£15 personnel trained to respond to major spills and few of the million), the Chinoin enterprise has shown no signs of governments have yet developed any oil spill contingency amendment. During the latest inspection, Nepszabadsag plans. reported, workers were caught trying to smuggle out poisonous wastes to the city rubbish dump, while 'particularly toxic' wastes were still being flushed down the drain. A further Ft 350 million fine was met by the management almost nonchalantly. The Vac pollution scandal has, however, brought some Participants from India, Iran, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam attended a two-month long training programme lasting benefit to the area. A new waterworks is being built

President Taken to Task

Tanker Danger to African Coasts

1.0.I. Training Programme 4