Remember this?
Well, we heard good news yesterday - the International Maritime Organisation has taken swift action to ban ships across the world from discharging all forms of high viscosity polyisobutylene (PIB) into the sea during tank cleaning operations.
This is both surprising and fantastic news for us, the RSPCA, the Wildlife Trust, the 25,000 people who signed the 38 degree petition and, of course, for marine wildlife that should no longer be subjected to pollution incidents like the ones experienced in the south west of England earlier this year.
Our marine policy staff were digging in for a long hard fight to secure a ban, but the IMO has taken the right decision.
We now need the UK Government to be inspired by the IMO's decisiveness and do what it takes to establish an ecologically coherent network of marine protection areas as soon as possible...
That is excellent news. Hopefully this new regulation will be promptly adhered to and enforced. As you say Martin,it is high time the UK Government acted just as positively in establishing a proper network of Marine Protected Zones. I somehow think though, this Government has "not go it in them" to do so. Their positive actions to protect and save guard nature seem woefully lacking.