Environment Agency and anti foul Falmouth area

[cagey]

Just been informed by yard owner that we cant jet wash our boats because EA has issued an enforcement notice on jet washing unless washing water can be collected and disposed of as hazardous waste. Any thoughts either how to circumvent or implications nationwide. Don’t want to name yard as it’s probably sensitive but it is less than 2 miles from Falmouth harbour and Pendennis repair facility.
K

 

[pvb]

This is becoming quite common. Legislation has existed for years to prevent washdown run-off entering coastal waters, but it hasn't been enforced very rigorously. Many marinas have already invested huge sums in specialised containment and filtering systems.

 

[[70521]]

Are the EA saying that all those muscles, barnacles and assorted seaweed found on the bottom of boats and jet washed off is hazardous?

It's all the antifoul sanding and scraping deposits that is the hazard.

 

[lw395]

The jetwash will take off a lot of antifoul.
If you can't jetwash, then use coarse wet'n'dry, wet, and collect the worst of the fallout on a ground sheet.
When we were serious about this, working in someone's garden, we used a wet vac to clear up, let the water settle in a tub, then disposed of the solids in the empty AF tins in the paint bin at the local dump.

I think jetwashing is over-rated, a nicie noisy boy's toy, but wet sanding does a better job.

 

[[70521]]

The jetwash will take off a lot of antifoul.

That's not been my experience. Perhaps the yards I use, use a lower pressure?

 

[bedouin]

That's not been my experience. Perhaps the yards I use, use a lower pressure?

A decent jet washer will take off the gelcoat let alone the anti-foul

 

[pcatterall]

But when in the water is the antifoul not being erroded into the sea anyway? I can believe that a half hour jet wash may well 'errode' some antifoul but will that be more than 12months in the water?​

 

[Hydrozoan]

But when in the water is the antifoul not being erroded into the sea anyway? I can believe that a half hour jet wash may well 'errode' some antifoul but will that be more than 12months in the water?​

Who knows? But in the former case it is performing its intended use and cannot be contained, whereas in the latter the reverse is true.

 

[RIBW]

Just been informed by yard owner that we cant jet wash our boats because EA has issued an enforcement notice on jet washing unless washing water can be collected and disposed of as hazardous waste.

For the avoidance of doubt, does this mean that racing scrubs (with a jetwasher) on a coppercoated hull are off limits?
Cheers
Bob

 

[Tim Good]

Coppercoat will do well from this change. and the environment of course. Anyhow, whats the general consensus of environmental impact of copper coat? Does it leach into the water eventually over time or will it just shed small copper grains that sink?

 

[Ladybirdgaffcutter]

But when in the water is the antifoul not being erroded into the sea anyway? I can believe that a half hour jet wash may well 'errode' some antifoul but will that be more than 12months in the water?​

Yes it's going in the sea anyway!
Antifoul works by killing the vermin which grows on hulls, how anyone can suggest that it could ever be 'harmless' is beyond me. It's like banning bleach because it upsets bacteria, or warfarin because it damages rats.
The likes of Maersk etc can still use the good stuff of course.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

The non-diy one I used certainly took off a goodly lot of Micron Ultra 2, which the fella from International assured me wouldn't happen when asked during my pre-purchase 'phone call.

 

[William_H]

I have had dead patches of grass at home where I sanded my t/s so a/f does kill plants. Mean while it is many years ago now our club got rid of slipping (haul out) facilities because of the cost of meeting environmental requirements. Some large clubs and marinas have gone to the cost of collection systems. Copper coat is not common around here. I think it just ineffective against fierce fouling but certainly ther eis no exemption for copper coat. ol'will

 

[Wansworth]

So can I scrub off on the piles in Chichester harbour?

 

[[70521]]

A decent jet washer will take off the gelcoat let alone the anti-foul

I am delighted I don't use a yard with one of them.

 

[Wansworth]

In Chichester harbour,designated area of outstanding beauty one yard regularly jet washes the racing fleet on the public hard as well as anti fouling then they have scrubbing piles,what will happen to all that if the EA is to enforce the law .Funnily enough it’s been a requirement in Spain but as always they get round it and the jet washed material ends up in the sea

 

[MikeBz]

Our local scrubbing posts have been rebranded 'maintenance posts' - that seems to have solved the problem for now...

 

[duncan99210]

There’s been a requirement for traps to be fitted to the wash down areas used by boatyards for some time now, so I suspect that the EA is only now getting round to enforcement action against those yards that haven’t fitted them yet. However, there are some weird anomalies about the place: Mylor Yacht Harbour has a trap in place at their washdown by the travel lift berth. But not five metres away they have a coin in the slot jet wash with a long hose for use by people using their drying slip to do a washdown and scrub......