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EEC pollution task force
Marine Pollution Bulletin
drilling in the area but have declined so far to comment on their success. Exploration in the area is hampered by strong currents plus a heavy shipping concentration which could pose problems if development proves feasible.
Nuclear Waste Disposal-Alternative Methods The search for acceptable methods for the disposal of radioactive waste continues and appears to be shifting to offshore options (see Mar. Pollut. Bull. 18, 147). A British company, Consolidated Environmental Technologies (CET) is developing a system designed to handle bulky wastes such as reactor compartments from decommissioned nuclear submarines and heat exchangers from nuclear power stations. CET's plan is to sink shafts, 15 m in diameter, in shallow offshore areas. The shafts, which would be sunk from watertight chambers fixed to the sea bed, would go down as far as 2 km below the sea floor level and large packages weighing up to 2000 t could be deposited down the shaft. Several areas around the British coast apparently have suitable geological formations for this type of development. CET, in a preliminary study, has identified a possible site for a shaft off the Lincolnshire coast which has strata of sands and clays on top of chalk and more clays. Both the Ministry of Defence and Nirex, Britaiffs agency investigating the disposal of radioactive waste, have shown interest in the CET project although no decisions on methods or disposal sites are likely until the middle of next year. Both Norway and Denmark have expressed strong opposition to the dumping of radioactive wastes below the bed of the North Sea and would want firm scientific evidence on the safety of the scheme. Earlier this year fierce local protest resulted in the government's decision to abandon its plans for shallow on-shore burial of low level waste in eastern England.
EEC Pollution Task Force The European Commission has announced the setting up of a task force, comprising several dozen government and private members, to deal with major pollution incidents at sea. This will give EEC countries the capacity to react immediately in the event of an accident at sea by calling upon the special expertise needed to deal with a particular situation. The task force will have the capability to advise and deal with recovery of spilled oil, use of dispersants, shoreline clean-up, chemical spills and remote sensing by air. Costs are to be met from the EEC budget and, in addition to dealing with accidents within European waters, the task force's services will be available to developing countries faced with marine pollution emergencies. 574
Formation of the task force was prompted by recent accidents such as the sinking of the Kowloon Bridge and the subsequent fuel oil spill and, more recently, the problems afforded by the toxic chemical waste being transported aboard the Herald of Free Enterprise when she capsized. With respect to this incident, the European Commission intends to launch a case against Belgium and Britain for breaking directives on the transport of toxic waste across boundaries. When the Herald capsized off Zeebrugge harbour in March this year she was apparently carrying 2000 1. of cyanide-containing wastes plus 40 2001. barrels of paint residues.
Mediterranean Action Plan A joint 'Plan of Action for the Mediterranean' has been adopted by every Mediterranean coastal state (except Albania) at a recent conference organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The plan attempts to alleviate growing pressure on the region's ecosystem due to increases in both population and tourism, and also continuing pollution by hydrocarbons and other toxic wastes. Every year an estimated 120 000 t of mineral oils, 60 000 t of detergents, 100 t of mercury, and 2400 t of chromium are dumped in the Mediterranean Sea. Approximately 85% of used waters from the areas 120 largest cities is discharged untreated into the sea. By the year 2025 the region's population is expected to have reached 550 million (an increase of 200 million) with an annual influx of 280 million tourists. Presentation of these facts at the conference highlighted the need to take national and international action, and prompted coastal states into adopting the non-binding action plan.
Nitrates in Water Denitrifying bacteria, which convert nitrates to atmospheric nitrogen, have been studied for many years. Recently, however, their action has been harnessed for the treatment of nitrate-contaminated water. Biotechnology has provided the techniques by which cells of Paracoccus denitrificans can be immobilized in an anaerobic bioreactor where, under test conditions, they are capable of removing 0.65 kg of nitrogen per m 3 of water per day. This removal rate was based on a throughput of 70 1. h -1. The process does, however, require a palladium catalyst to deoxygenate the water prior to treatment and a continuous input of hydrogen. Until a form of nitrate recovery is employed which is both economic and efficient, denitrification may at least in the short term lessen the dangers from nitrate contaminated water. Since the process effectively destroys nitrates it is also likely to be welcomed by those firms dealing in the manufacture and sale of nitrate based fertilizers. KE VIN O'CARROLL
drilling in the area but have declined so far to comment on their success. Exploration in the area is hampered by strong currents plus a heavy shipping concentration which could pose problems if development proves feasible.
Nuclear Waste Disposal-Alternative Methods The search for acceptable methods for the disposal of radioactive waste continues and appears to be shifting to offshore options (see Mar. Pollut. Bull. 18, 147). A British company, Consolidated Environmental Technologies (CET) is developing a system designed to handle bulky wastes such as reactor compartments from decommissioned nuclear submarines and heat exchangers from nuclear power stations. CET's plan is to sink shafts, 15 m in diameter, in shallow offshore areas. The shafts, which would be sunk from watertight chambers fixed to the sea bed, would go down as far as 2 km below the sea floor level and large packages weighing up to 2000 t could be deposited down the shaft. Several areas around the British coast apparently have suitable geological formations for this type of development. CET, in a preliminary study, has identified a possible site for a shaft off the Lincolnshire coast which has strata of sands and clays on top of chalk and more clays. Both the Ministry of Defence and Nirex, Britaiffs agency investigating the disposal of radioactive waste, have shown interest in the CET project although no decisions on methods or disposal sites are likely until the middle of next year. Both Norway and Denmark have expressed strong opposition to the dumping of radioactive wastes below the bed of the North Sea and would want firm scientific evidence on the safety of the scheme. Earlier this year fierce local protest resulted in the government's decision to abandon its plans for shallow on-shore burial of low level waste in eastern England.
EEC Pollution Task Force The European Commission has announced the setting up of a task force, comprising several dozen government and private members, to deal with major pollution incidents at sea. This will give EEC countries the capacity to react immediately in the event of an accident at sea by calling upon the special expertise needed to deal with a particular situation. The task force will have the capability to advise and deal with recovery of spilled oil, use of dispersants, shoreline clean-up, chemical spills and remote sensing by air. Costs are to be met from the EEC budget and, in addition to dealing with accidents within European waters, the task force's services will be available to developing countries faced with marine pollution emergencies. 574
Formation of the task force was prompted by recent accidents such as the sinking of the Kowloon Bridge and the subsequent fuel oil spill and, more recently, the problems afforded by the toxic chemical waste being transported aboard the Herald of Free Enterprise when she capsized. With respect to this incident, the European Commission intends to launch a case against Belgium and Britain for breaking directives on the transport of toxic waste across boundaries. When the Herald capsized off Zeebrugge harbour in March this year she was apparently carrying 2000 1. of cyanide-containing wastes plus 40 2001. barrels of paint residues.
Mediterranean Action Plan A joint 'Plan of Action for the Mediterranean' has been adopted by every Mediterranean coastal state (except Albania) at a recent conference organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The plan attempts to alleviate growing pressure on the region's ecosystem due to increases in both population and tourism, and also continuing pollution by hydrocarbons and other toxic wastes. Every year an estimated 120 000 t of mineral oils, 60 000 t of detergents, 100 t of mercury, and 2400 t of chromium are dumped in the Mediterranean Sea. Approximately 85% of used waters from the areas 120 largest cities is discharged untreated into the sea. By the year 2025 the region's population is expected to have reached 550 million (an increase of 200 million) with an annual influx of 280 million tourists. Presentation of these facts at the conference highlighted the need to take national and international action, and prompted coastal states into adopting the non-binding action plan.
Nitrates in Water Denitrifying bacteria, which convert nitrates to atmospheric nitrogen, have been studied for many years. Recently, however, their action has been harnessed for the treatment of nitrate-contaminated water. Biotechnology has provided the techniques by which cells of Paracoccus denitrificans can be immobilized in an anaerobic bioreactor where, under test conditions, they are capable of removing 0.65 kg of nitrogen per m 3 of water per day. This removal rate was based on a throughput of 70 1. h -1. The process does, however, require a palladium catalyst to deoxygenate the water prior to treatment and a continuous input of hydrogen. Until a form of nitrate recovery is employed which is both economic and efficient, denitrification may at least in the short term lessen the dangers from nitrate contaminated water. Since the process effectively destroys nitrates it is also likely to be welcomed by those firms dealing in the manufacture and sale of nitrate based fertilizers. KE VIN O'CARROLL