THE GREEN BLUE BEGINS SURVEY OF UK ENVIRONMENTAL MARINA FACILITIES
Following the recent increase of public awareness in sustainability, many boat users have a new heightened appetite for mitigating the environmental impacts of boating. Boat users, if they’re not already, will soon be looking for marinas, boatyards and harbours that offer simple, non-time exhaustive solutions for improving their activity’s level of sustainability.
The Green Blue is the environmental awareness programme created by the Royal Yachting Association and British Marine. The Green Blue is updating and expanding its directory of Environmental Facilities at Marinas, Boatyards, Sailing Clubs and Centres, this will be available on The Green Blue website and other guidance. It will provide a resource for recreational sailors looking for those facilities, and raise awareness among the boating community. We would like all businesses offering some or all of these facilities to be listed in the directory, please take a few minutes to fill out the survey here.
Thousands of tons of rubbish enter our waters every year, much of which could be recycled or reused. Recycling materials not only lowers the amount of rubbish in our oceans, but also reduces the need for depleting natural resources to be used to create new products. All marinas that have waste recycling facilities on site must ensure that it is separated into dry mixed recycling. Providing a visual guide to visitors of which common marine items can be recycled can also be beneficial. If hazardous waste facilities are provided then they must also comply with requirements.
Although an essential part of regular boat maintenance, washing down a boat can cause biosecurity and pollution concerns for the environment. When vessels are being pressure washed all runoff, including marine life, needs to be contained and filtered to prevent it from contaminating the water. Bunded wash down facilities collect anti-foul debris and residue as well as capturing invasive non-native species – some of which increase bio-fouling, which can be costly to remove and cause damage to marina structures, boats and equipment.
Management of Black Water is a necessary task that all eco-conscious boaters will need to consider. Not only is the sewage itself a pollutant, but the disinfectant chemicals which are mixed with the waste are also poisonous to marine life. As a marine organisation you can help reduce the amount of toxins that enter the sea by providing pump-out facilities for customers. Black Water is not permitted to be discharged directly into sea water unless at least three nautical miles offshore. However, it is still damaging to the environment and this should be kept to a minimum, not only for our environment, but for other water users.
If your organisation does not currently offer any of the facilities listed in the survey then contact British Marine or visit their website for further help and advice on the various equipment which can be installed.
Please note, if you have multiple sites please complete the survey for each site to enable us to create a detailed map of facility availability. The map will be held on The Green Blue website for boaters to use as a reference guide.