The JRC compiled this single reference list of priority, regulated substances and emerging contaminants to support the harmonised and comparable assessment of relevant contaminants in the marine environment.
The prominence of emerging pollutants on the list highlights the importance of work to understand their environmental occurrence and potential effects, agree on the most significant substances and incorporate them into future regulation if necessary.
A single reference list to support the assessment of marine contaminants
The combined list is aimed at supporting regulators, managers and researchers in efforts to identify the substances deserving particular attention.
It acts as a single reference list, bringing together lists of contaminants from relevant EU law, European regional sea conventions, global conventions and other international organisations and programmes.
Contaminants have the potential to degrade marine waters and cause serious damage to organisms and biological processes.
They can find their way into our oceans in a variety of ways, for example through polluted rivers, industrial activity, pollution by ships, and offshore oil extraction.
The emerging pollutants that feature on the list include pharmaceuticals, newly registered pesticides, industrial plastic additives, personal care products and new flame retardants.
Background
The EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires that among other things, Member States devise a strategy for those contaminants that may have polluting effects in marine regions or sub-regions.
The JRC's reference list supports this task by using a harmonised nomenclature for the unambiguous identification of substances of concern, which will also prove useful for wider international collaboration to keep our oceans clean.
It therefore contributes to the assessment that Member States have to make as part of these strategies, which will eventually lead to measures to mitigate the harmful effects of these contaminants
Successful collaboration must work across policy areas and draw from a variety of scientific expertise to find an efficient way towards achieving an equally high level of protection for healthy and productive oceans in Europe and the neighbouring shared marine waters.
Links:
The JRC report 'Potential chemical contaminants in the marine environment: An overview of main contaminant lists'