The world’s ship owners have been told to stop painting the bottoms of their
vessels with an anti-fouling agent that can leach into the water and cause sex
changes in shellfish.
After years of campaigning by environmentalists, the International Maritime
Organization, a UN body based in London, has decided to phase out the use of
tributyl tin (TBT). Shipping companies have until January 2003 to stop using the
paint, and a further five years to cover up existing TBT paint on ships’ hulls.
