Fiberglass, also known as glass reinforced plastic (GRP), has been considered a game-changer in boat building due to its durability and versatility. However, recent research has revealed shocking environmental consequences, particularly its detrimental effects on marine ecosystems.
The Silent Invasion of Fiberglass
Fiberglass particles are infiltrating our coastal waters, primarily through the maintenance and abandonment of GRP boats. When these boats are repaired, abandoned, or broken down, tiny fiberglass particles are released into the environment. Over time, as boats age and degrade, they continue to shed these harmful particles into the water.
Ciocan’s magnified sample of fiberglass pollutants shows a combination of resin and glass. Copyright: Corina Ciocan.
Alarming Discovery: Fiberglass in Marine Life
Scientists from the University of Brighton, University of Portsmouth, and other universities conducted a groundbreaking study along the south coast of England. They collected oysters and mussels from areas near active boatyards and found significant amounts of fiberglass particles in their tissues. Using advanced techniques, the team, led by Corina Ciocan, discovered up to 11,220 particles per kilogram of wet tissue in oysters and 2,740 particles per kilogram in mussels. These findings are especially concerning because these creatures are filter feeders, meaning they are constantly filtering water for food and inadvertently ingesting these particles.
Ciocan, C., Annels, C., Fitzpatrick, M., Couceiro, F., Steyl, I., & Bray, S. (2024). Glass reinforced plastic (GRP) boats and the impact on coastal environment – Evidence of fibreglass ingestion by marine bivalves from natural populations. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 472, 134619. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134619
Seasonal Spikes and Accumulation
The study showed that the contamination was worse during the winter months, coinciding with increased boat maintenance activities. This suggests that activities like sanding and cutting of GRP boats are major sources of fiberglass pollution. The digestive glands of the oysters and mussels, crucial for processing nutrients, were particularly laden with these particles.
Impact on Marine Life
Fiberglass ingestion poses a severe threat to marine bivalves like oysters and mussels. As they filter feed, they accumulate these particles, which can impair their health and even lead to death. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that exposure to these particles affects their feeding, growth, and reproduction. Over time, this could lead to a decline in their populations, which would have a ripple effect throughout the marine ecosystem.
Resin and glass surround and spear a water snail and water flea in a sample collected by Ciocan and her research team. Copyright: Corina Ciocan.
A Growing Environmental Concern
The problem of GRP boat disposal is escalating as more boats reach the end of their useful life. Proper disposal is expensive, and with few recycling facilities available, many boats are abandoned or improperly discarded, contributing to coastal contamination. The fragmented glass fibers, similar to asbestos in their potential harm, not only threaten marine life but could also pose health risks to humans if they enter the food chain.
Most jurisdictions lack policies to deal with derelict and abandoned boats. Photo by Yau Ming Low/Alamy Stock Photo via hakaimagazine.com.
What Can Be Done?
This study highlights the urgent need for better regulation and management of GRP boat maintenance and disposal. Solutions could include:
Stricter controls on boat maintenance activities to reduce particle release;
Improved recycling facilities for GRP materials to prevent improper disposal;
Public awareness campaigns to inform boat owners about the environmental impact of fiberglass.
More research is needed to fully understand the extent of fiberglass contamination and its long-term effects on both marine life and human health.
The discovery of fiberglass particles in marine bivalves is a wake-up call. This hidden menace, resulting from our reliance on GRP boats, demands immediate action. By implementing better management practices and raising awareness, we can protect our coastal waters and the diverse life they support. The health of our oceans, and ultimately our own health, depends on it.
Regenerative Tides: Sailing for Solutions
Supporting the advancement of policy pathways for mitigating ecological and social impacts of end-of-life fibreglass boats’ whilst producing Creative Practice Research to support regenerative futures.
Our family is creating a Floating Stories Lab - a self-built classic Wharram design Narai Mk IV traditional Polynesian inspired 41-foot wooden double canoe/catamaran using bio composite materials - that will depart northern Europe on a circumnavigation to discover, through creative practice research, citizen science, and storytelling, how humans can have a positive impact on our planet.
Angie Richard - mother, co-captain, storyteller, and researcher - is conceptualizing a creative research project Regenerative Tides: Sailing for Solutions. In partnership with marine biologist Corina Ciocan and her team at the University of Brighton, Angie is exploring how creative practice can contribute to cutting-edge scientific research and the fostering of community for regenerative solutions.
