Friday, May 17, 2013

Spill of shipping chemical impacts thousands of birds

Hundreds of seabirds have been washed up off the south coast of England due to a recent spill of polyisobutene, a sticky chemical used as a lubricant in ships' engines.

The number of seabirds affected by the recent polyisobutene spill has now reached 4,000, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, a group of environmental watchdog organizations that promote bird and wildlife conservation.

The RSPB is asking the International Maritime Organization to reclassify the chemical, which is moved in large quantities, since it’s an ingredient in chewing gum, adhesive tape and sealants.

"We are urging the government to call on the IMO to urgently review [its] hazard classification and implement regulations and a systematic monitoring program that prevent any further tragic and wholly avoidable incidents like the one just witnessed," said the RSPB in a statement.

The UK Chamber of Shipping is supporting the effort.

For more of the BBC story: bbc.co.uk

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