TBT-Containing Antifouling Paints —The Legislative Position—

In June 1988, the U.S. Senate passed the "Organotin Antifouling Paint Control Act of 1988" that controls the application of TBT antifoulings in the USA, as follows: (1) Bans the application of TBT antifoulings on vessels less that 25 meters (about 82 feet) in length.

Aluminum-hulled vessels are exempt if the application is carried out by an approved contractor.

(2) Vessels greater than 25 meters in length may only be applied with TBT antifoulings if (a) the average release rate of TBT from the antifouling three to five weeks after immersion is not greater than four micrograms of TBT per square centimeter of painted surface per day, and (b) the cumulative release during the first 14 days of immersion is not greater than 168 micrograms of TBT per square centimeter of painted surface per day.

(3) the EPA is required to issue a Water Quality Criteria Document on TBT by March 1989. Individual states can use the EPA's Water Quality Criteria to set legally enforceable Water Quality Standards which limit the concentration of TBR in seawater.

The State of Virginia has already imposed its own water quality standard of less than one part of TBT per trillion parts of salt water. A similar standard is being considered by the State of California.

The States of Alaska, Maine and Michigan, and New York Harbor are also considering tighter controls on the application of TBT antifoulings.

Existing and proposed U.S. regulations do not affect vessels coated with TBT antifoulings trading into the U.S. or continuously trading within U.S. waters. They only affect the application of TBT antifoulings in the U.S.

International Paint, in response to operator demand for continued efficient vessel operation within legislative controls, over the last few years, has gained experience on over 600 vessels worldwide with TBTfree polishing antifouling systems.

To meet the specific requirements of the U.S. market and to comply with existing and impending regulations, International Paint launched a range of TBT-free antifoulings in June 1988.

International Paint (USA) presently offers Interclene BRA500 series as the highest performing TBTfree antifouling available in the U.S.

In the rest of the world International Paint offers International BQ series as the permier TBT-free polishing antifouling available. International BQ series is presently awaiting the registration in the U.S before commercial introduction.

Since June 1988, Interclene BRA500 series has been applied to over 95 merchant vessels in the U.S.

Additionally, over 60 U.S. Navy and other U.S. Government-operated vessels have been coated with Interclene BRA500 series.

For more information and free literature from International Paint, C i r c l e 1 7 o n Reader S e r v i c e C a rd

Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 59, Nov 1988

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Maritime Reporter

First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.