Copper AFP banned in Washington State!

[lenseman]

Gov. Chris Gregoire this week signed into a law a bill prohibiting the use of the paints on most recreational boats. Under the law, no new boats with copper-based bottom paint can be sold in Washington state after Jan. 1, 2018, and no paint with more than 0.5 percent copper can be used on recreational boats as of 2020.

The law applies to recreational boats 65 feet and under.

http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/home/511463-washington-state-bans-copper-bottom-paint

Thin end of the wedge?

 

[lenseman]

Further reports and bans here:

May 11, 2011 – Olympia, WA

On May 4, Washington governor Chris Gregoire sounded the death knell for copper-based bottom paint in his state by signing into law a ban on the use of the product on recreational boats under 65 feet — the first state to do so. The law prohibits the sale of new boats with copper paint after January 1, 2018, and no paint with more than a half a percent of copper can be used starting in 2020.

California is close on our northern neighbor's heels with Senate Bill 623, which would put into place a similar ban. On May 2, the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality approved the ban and sent it to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further consideration. If made into law, the legislation would ban the sale of new boats with copper paint as of January 1, 2015, and ban the paint outright starting in 2019.

We've had three different Econea-based test paints on the bottom of our boat over the last few years, and all have performed as well as or better than the 67% copper control paint.

For what it's worth, paint companies have made huge strides in developing alternatives to copper — we've been very satisfied with the Econea-based test paints that have been on our boat's bottom for the last few years — but Boat U.S. has expressed concern that, since the ban applies only to rec boats and not commercial or military vessels, it "may not provide a large enough market to stimulate research and development on alternative coatings."

http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2011-05-11&dayid=581#Story4

 

[Stu Jackson]

We've had a rip at this already:

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=129085

 

[jfkal]

Its okay to dump millions of gallons crude oil into the sea but
natural occuring copper? Naw, cannot do Pal. What is wrong with those guys.
This is where sanity ends and utter incompetence and blunder starts.
Once they are done with the pleasure boats they can have a
go at all the water pipes in American homes (go fetch your water at the
well three blocks down) and then (this is
my favourite) shut down all the breweries using copper vats to make
beer. Bye bye Budweiser and Miller (not necessarily a loss I may add).

 

[rhumlady]

I believe the Dutch have beaten them to it certainly on the fresh waters.

 

[Marsupial]

its a funny old world, just received this from coppercoat:


"
BRITISH ANTI-FOUL SCOOPS ECO AWARD AT INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW

Aquarius Marine Coatings, the Dorset based company that manufacture and distribute Coppercoat, the world’s most long lasting anti-foul coating, have won the prestigious ‘Eco Friendly Business’ category of the Asian Marine & Boating Awards 2011, held in conjunction with the China (Shanghai) International Boat Show.

The award was presented to Nigel MacFarlane (Coppercoat representative for Hong Kong) by Yang Xin Fa (Secretary General of the Chinese Boatbuilding Association) at a gala dinner at the Four Seasons in Shanghai.

Jayson Kenny, Director of Aquarius Marine Coatings said “It is very rare for any anti-foul to receive an award for being environmentally friendly, so this is a major coup for us and welcome recognition that Coppercoat is an environmentally sensible choice.”

By commonly remaining effective for between 10 to 20 years, anti-fouling a boat once with low-leaching Coppercoat is clearly far more responsible than re-anti-fouling every year with a standard eroding anti-foul paint. And you don't have 10 to 20 years worth of painting apparel such as rollers, brushes, tins and plastic paints trays to bury in a landfill site either!

Developed in the 1980’s and available to the public since 1991, Coppercoat is possibly the most powerful and long lasting anti-fouling available to the modern yachtsman. This hard wearing densely copper filled epoxy is successfully protecting tens of thousands of boats the world over, saving their owners the time and expense of annual re-antifouling. Many users have now enjoyed more than 15 years continual protection from a single treatment. "

put mine on in 2003, everyone said I was mad (could be true . . .) but now I see more and more are converting to it - so maybe just maybe it works! and what is the american agenda? *

* got it read it thanks, it looks like ECO blackmail - the sales of Hookah gear should take off.

 

[srm]

Politicians aiming at a soft target in order to look as if they are doing something for the common good. Strange how copper was acceptable when TBT fell out of favour.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

What about those with permanent copper protection using a system like Coppercoat?