Release of a “forever material” from end-of-life boats and glass-reinforced composite boats is pervasive and entering food chains: fibreglass and environmental impact

Corina Ciocan; Ketan Jha; Claude Annels; Rachel Kozloski; Ilse Steyl; Simon  Bray

doi:10.1111/gcb.17520

Release of a “forever material” from end-of-life boats and glass-reinforced composite boats is pervasive and entering food chains: fibreglass and environmental impact

Corina Ciocan, Ketan Jha, Claude Annels, Rachel Kozloski, Ilse Steyl, Simon Bray

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Building boats of sufficient strength and durability to withstand the harsh water environment has always been a challenge. Composites, particularly glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), historically provided one of the best low maintenance solutions. Over the past 80 years, GRP boats have become a mainstay of the boating industry while little attention has been given to the consequences of GRP degradation, lack of recycling solutions, and boat abandonment. This paper highlights the widespread glass fiber pollution and alarming levels of glass microparticles entering aquatic food chains. Prospective legal and policy measures are, therefore, required to manage risks to human and marine life.

Original language	English
Article number	e17520
Number of pages	3
Journal	Global Change Biology
Volume	30
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17520
Publication status	Published - 25 Sept 2024
Event	Bridging the gap between research and policies - End of Life boats - University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom Duration: 5 Jul 2024 → 5 Jul 2024 https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/ceobs/2024/06/13/grp-abandoned-boats-and-impact-on-coastal-environments-programme-update/

Keywords

composite materials
contamination
end of life boats
glass fibres
microparticulate

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10.1111/gcb.17520

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abstract = "Building boats of sufficient strength and durability to withstand the harsh water environment has always been a challenge. Composites, particularly glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), historically provided one of the best low maintenance solutions. Over the past 80 years, GRP boats have become a mainstay of the boating industry while little attention has been given to the consequences of GRP degradation, lack of recycling solutions, and boat abandonment. This paper highlights the widespread glass fiber pollution and alarming levels of glass microparticles entering aquatic food chains. Prospective legal and policy measures are, therefore, required to manage risks to human and marine life.",

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author = "Corina Ciocan and Ketan Jha and Claude Annels and Rachel Kozloski and Ilse Steyl and Simon Bray",

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doi = "10.1111/gcb.17520",

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T1 - Release of a “forever material” from end-of-life boats and glass-reinforced composite boats is pervasive and entering food chains

T2 - Bridging the gap between research and policies - End of Life boats

AU - Ciocan, Corina

AU - Jha, Ketan

AU - Annels, Claude

AU - Kozloski, Rachel

AU - Steyl, Ilse

AU - Bray, Simon

PY - 2024/9/25

Y1 - 2024/9/25

N2 - Building boats of sufficient strength and durability to withstand the harsh water environment has always been a challenge. Composites, particularly glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), historically provided one of the best low maintenance solutions. Over the past 80 years, GRP boats have become a mainstay of the boating industry while little attention has been given to the consequences of GRP degradation, lack of recycling solutions, and boat abandonment. This paper highlights the widespread glass fiber pollution and alarming levels of glass microparticles entering aquatic food chains. Prospective legal and policy measures are, therefore, required to manage risks to human and marine life.

AB - Building boats of sufficient strength and durability to withstand the harsh water environment has always been a challenge. Composites, particularly glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), historically provided one of the best low maintenance solutions. Over the past 80 years, GRP boats have become a mainstay of the boating industry while little attention has been given to the consequences of GRP degradation, lack of recycling solutions, and boat abandonment. This paper highlights the widespread glass fiber pollution and alarming levels of glass microparticles entering aquatic food chains. Prospective legal and policy measures are, therefore, required to manage risks to human and marine life.

KW - composite materials

KW - contamination

KW - end of life boats

KW - glass fibres

KW - microparticulate

U2 - 10.1111/gcb.17520

DO - 10.1111/gcb.17520

M3 - Article

SN - 1354-1013

VL - 30

JO - Global Change Biology

JF - Global Change Biology

IS - 9

M1 - e17520

Y2 - 5 July 2024 through 5 July 2024

ER -

Release of a “forever material” from end-of-life boats and glass-reinforced composite boats is pervasive and entering food chains: fibreglass and environmental impact

Abstract

Keywords

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