Guidance document and calculation sheets for the environmental assessment of antifouling paints

ECHA (the European Chemicals Agency) has published a guidance document with corresponding calculation sheets for antifouling paints on yachts.

The Ctgb has made a strong effort to harmonise the assessment of antifouling paints for pleasure craft. Applicants can use the ECHA guidance document and corresponding calculation sheets to perform calculations for anti-fouling products on yachts, sailboats and motor boats. The calculation sheets are for both salt and freshwater marinas, and were developed by HSE in the United Kingdom and the RIVM in collaboration with a number of competent authorities.

The calculation sheets can be used to predict the concentrations of active substances in water and sediment in both freshwater and saltwater marinas for pleasure craft. Because yachts, sailboats and motorboats are usually moored for longer periods in marinas, the risk of active substances from antifouling paint contaminating the water and precipitating into sediment is highest at these locations.

On 1 January 1 2018, the authorisation decision on copper – one of the main active substances in antifouling products – will go into effect. Applications and dossiers must be submitted before this date. The results of these calculation sheets will be an important part of the assessment of the applications.