9 minute read
Sustainable boating
Greener Boating
Reducing plastics and other pollutants on the waterways
Jan Hall, a member of IWA’s Sustainable Boating Group, provides this report on sustainable boating
If every time we visit a waterway we each pick up an item of plastic li er, there would be no plastic li er at all within a year.
This call to action om the Canal & River Trust in their ‘Plastics Challenge’ is just one example of how small actions by many people can make a big di erence. We really can contribute to signifi cantly reducing both plastics and the other pollutants damaging our waterways.
The evidence is stark; on plastic pollution alone Greenpeace sampled 13 UK rivers in 2019 and found all contained microplastics (pieces of plastic less than 5mm long). It reported that “During this campaign we witnessed voles eating plastic, swans using it to build their nests, and caddisfl y larvae using it to make their protective casings”.
Moreover, worldwide, some 12 million tonnes of plastic reach the ocean each year, around 80% originating on land while 20% is om sources like fi shing gear. The consequences are dramatic as a 2019 study of UK marine mammals found. Every animal
Rubbish in the canal, Paddington Arm. ALISON SMEDLEY
studied had ingested plastics with 84% being fibres from sources like clothes, fishing nets, and toothbrushes. The other 16% were fragments from food packaging and plastic bottles.
UK inland waterways are affected both by plastic and other pollutants. Only 14% of UK rivers rate as ‘good’ ecologically, while only 5% of our canals have clean and uncontaminated water. The immediate future suggests little or no sign of improvement.
However, the good news is that we CAN effect change by acting individually and together – there are some suggestions described below. Many will be things you’re doing already; others may be new to you and most are no or low cost. • We can start by becoming much more conscious about the effects of, for example, wastewater from our sinks and showers. Since it’s untreated, we must become our own water-treatment plant. The pollutants draining down the plughole, or running off the boat after cleaning or maintenance affect not only our immediate locality, but the rivers, estuaries and seas into which our waterways flow. • We can also become more ‘plastics aware’. So, just thinking about doing the washing up, try swapping the plastic washing-up brush for a wooden one, the plastic sponge for a loofah, the pan scrubber for one made of coir and the washcloth for a reusable cellulose one. • Of course, some major sources of pollution aren’t directly attributable to boating and you might like to join with others and support groups like River
Action or The Rivers Trust which campaign to reduce sewage discharges into rivers and the effects of agricultural runoff.
What we can do
Drawing on the excellent 2017 leaflet by The Green Blue ‘The Green Guide to Inland Boating’ we look at some of the pollutants resulting from boating and list some ideas and suggestions about what we can do to improve the situation whether we’re liveaboard, leisure boaters or hire operators.
IWA Sustainable Boating Group will be doing further work in the future to help boaters to make their cruising more environmentally sustainable. Wedefine‘sustainable’ as the long-term maintenance and enhancement of human well-being within finite planetary resources.
IWA campaigns to raise awareness about these and other issues affecting inland waterways. We hope that you will support this and other vital work by joining us.
Engine related
Diesel, oil and grease
All are toxic to aquatic life and take years to biodegrade. In 2019, River Canal Rescue (RCR) estimated that over 120,000 litres of fuel and oil enter the inland waterways each year. That’s an average of 2 litres per boat per year.
It’s essential to avoid spills and crucial to maintain the engine bay in such a way as to avoid contaminated water entering the waterway. RCR estimates that some 40-50% of boats it repairs have contaminated water in the main engine bay (i.e. outside the supposed oil-tight compartment).
Key actions (mostly no or low cost):
• Avoid overfilling the diesel tank. Allow room for fuel inside to expand and check the tank vent isn’t blocked or leaking fuel. • Remember there must be an oil-tight compartment below the engine and gearbox capable of containing the oil from both. • Dispose of fuel- and oil-soaked rags safely – they are hazardous waste. • Regularly check your fuel lines and seals for leaks. If you notice fuel or oil in the engine bay, find the source. • Use an absorbent sock and/or liner to catch oil and fuel in the engine bilge. • Grease and adjust the stern gland correctly and keep a small tray under to catch drips. • Keep coamings and drains free running to avoid rainwater getting into the engine room. • Don’t use detergents to deal with spills, it causes more damage to the environment. • Use www.oilbankline.org.uk to find your nearest waste disposal point.
To consider:
• Fit an in-line bilge filter like BilgeAway which removes fuel and oil from bilge water and claims to convert this into a harmless residue (note that pending approvals this is classified as hazardous waste and should be disposed of at marina or local authority facilities).
Street Hay Wharf on the Coventry Canal.
Engine related
Antifreeze
The antifreeze used in land vehicles contains ethylene glycol, which is toxic to animal and plant life. The marine equivalent is propylene glycol, which is less toxic and degrades more quickly.
Key action:
• Ask your chandlery for antifreeze containing propylene glycol.
Plastics
When washing clothing made of synthetics, shedding of microfibres will happen whether you hand or machine wash – however, research shows that the way you wash can considerably reduce shedding (see below under Cleaning – Laundry).
Key Actions (no or low cost):
• Look for plastic-free utensils and tools. • Take part in the Plastics Challenge – see the CRT website for information.
To consider:
• Buy preloved, especially clothing – new clothes shed more microfibres. • Look for environmentally friendly clothing, for example, made from hemp or linen.
dIY and maintenance
Paint, filler, sealant, metal and other dust all introduce particles into the waterway environment which are potentially harmful.
Key Actions (no and low cost):
• Particles and debris should be swept and/or vacuumed up and disposed of safely. • Avoid paint spills into water or onto land. • Keep hazardous waste like used paint tins and used rags separate and dispose of safely. • Don’t wash brushes out into the waterway. • Use products efficiently to minimise wastage, for example, consider sharing with other boaters.
To consider:
• Use environmentally friendly products as far as possible.
To report a pollution incident
In EnglAnd And In WAlEs
If it’s a major pollution incident (for example, something causing fish or other wildlife distress), call either the Environment Agency for England on 0800 807060 or Natural Resources Wales on 0300 065 3000 Canal and River Trust 0303 040 4040 (office hours) or 0800 4799947 (outside office hours) Broads Authority 01603 756 056 (office hours)
In scoTlAnd
Call Scottish Environment Protection Agency on 0800 807060 (24 hours) or Scottish Canals 0800 0729900 (outside office hours) or 01413 326 936 (office hours)
In norThErn IrElAnd
Call Northern Ireland Environment Agency on 0800 807060 (24 hours)
More information
The Green Blue is an environmental programme sponsored jointly by the Royal Yachting Association and British Marine. It provides information tailored to boaters about greener options and good practice and launched the ‘Sustainable Boating Pledge’ at this year’s Boat Show.
Treehugger is a mine of information about all aspects of sustainable living, with over 2 million monthly users.
If you have suggestions and experience of how to be ‘greener’ on the waterways, we’d like to hear from you. You can email Waterways magazine at campaigns@waterways.org.uk
Note: Products mentioned in the article, or in online resources such as blogs, have not, to our knowledge, been subjected to scientific testing. Their inclusion should, therefore, not be taken as a recommendation by the Sustainable Boating Group and people should come to their own conclusions regarding efficacy.
Cleaning
Boat
Cleaning products may contain any or all of detergents, surfactants, phosphates, SLS (sodium lauryl sulphate) and polymers. Other commonly used products, like Brasso, are labelled toxic to aquatic life.
Key Actions (no and low cost):
• Only use the amount the job needs. • Educate yourself about alternatives that don’t harm the environment. • Consider mixing your own cleaning products. Information on safe and effective recipes is available online. • Avoid products containing phosphate, chlorine and bleach in particular. • Choose alternatives to plastics whenever possible, for example for cleaning cloths. • Avoid any product which is labelled hazardous to aquatic life.
Laundry
Detergents, surfactants, phosphates, SLS and bleach are also in many laundry products and may be harmful to the environment.
For example, detergents can destroy the external mucus layers that protect the fish from bacteria and parasites, cause severe damage to the gills and kill fish eggs. Surfactants may decrease breeding ability. Detergents also add another problem for aquatic life by lowering the surface tension of the water, leading to pollutants like pesticides being much more easily absorbed.
As boaters, our grey water goes directly into the waterways, so it’s particularly important to have regard to reducing negative impacts.
Key Actions (no and low cost):
• Experiment with using less laundry product per wash. • Wash at cooler temperatures and less often. Sometimes clothes can be spot cleaned and aired. • Line and air dry, rather than use a tumble dryer. • Quick washes shed fewer fibres. • Fill the washing machine around three-quarters full – this reduces friction, therefore shedding.
To consider:
• A laundry aid like EcoEgg, which contains minimal product will last for many washes and can be used for handwashing.
A separate stain remover like Ecozone can be used beforehand if needed. A ‘Guppyfriend’ (or similar closely woven) washing bag designed to catch microfibres. • Join Ethical Consumer, which monitors and rates laundry products (and many others) according to stringent environmental criteria.
Personal and cosmetics
Issues here are the same as with the laundry, with the addition of products like cosmetics. Looking for eco-friendly versions is a veritable minefield and manufacturers’ claims aren’t necessarily reliable. Before buying, you could look at whether products have been evaluated by Which? and by Ethical Consumer.
To consider:
• Subscribe to a blog like Moral Fibres, written by a sustainability expert and with lots of helpful suggestions on eco-friendly cleaning, cosmetics, travel and clothing. Much would translate to boaters’ lifestyles.
