HELCOM RECOMMENDATION 20/4

This Recommendation supersedes HELCOM Recommendation 9/10

Adopted 23 March 1999, having regard to Article 13, Paragraph b) of the Helsinki Convention 1974

ANTIFOULING PAINTS CONTAINING ORGANOTIN COMPOUNDS

THE COMMISSION,

RECALLING Article 5 of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1992 (Helsinki Convention), in which the Contracting Parties undertake to prevent and eliminate pollution of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area caused by harmful substances from all sources, according to the provisions of the Convention and, to this end, implement the proce­dures and measures of Annex I of the 1992 Helsinki Convention,

RECALLING ALSO Annex I of the Helsinki Convention, according to which pesticides, such as fun­gicides, herbicides, insecticides, slimicides and chemicals used for the preservation of wood, timber, wood pulp, cellulose, paper, hides and textiles belong to the priority groups of harmful substances for the purposes of Article 5 of the Convention,

RECALLING ALSO  Part 1, Section 2.3 of Annex I of the 1992 Helsinki Convention banning the use of organotin compounds for antifouling paints for pleasure craft under 25 m and for fish net cages,

RECALLING FURTHER Article 8 of the 1992 Helsinki Convention, according to which the Contracting Parties shall take measures as set out in Annex IV to protect the Baltic Sea Area from pollution from ships,

RECALLING FINALLY Article 9 of the 1992 Helsinki Convention, according to which the Contracting Parties shall take special measures in order  to abate harmful effects on the marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area caused by pleas­ure craft activities,

HAVING REGARD to the Ministerial Declaration 1988 and to the Baltic Sea Declaration of 1990, calling, i.a. for a substantive reduction of load of pollutants most harmful to the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea, 

HAVING REGARD to the Ministerial Communiqué 1998, calling to implement the HELCOM Recommendation 19/5 on HELCOM Objective with Regard to Hazardous Substances,

NOTING that the use of organotin compounds, and in particular tributyl tin compounds, as an anti-foulant in paints for use on boats, ships, underwater structures and fish net cages is causing pollution in the Baltic Sea Area,

NOTING FURTHER the scientific evidence of harmful effects on marine life and fisheries caused by organotin compounds,

DESIRING to reduce the amounts of organotin compounds entering the marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area,

RECOMMENDS that the Governments of the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention:

a)      take effective measures to eliminate such pollution;*)

b)      include in the measures taken, as a first step, a ban on the retail sale or use of organotin paints for pleasure boats or fish net cages,

c)      consider the need for restrictions on other uses of organotin compounds in antifouling paints, for example on sea-going vessels and underwater structures,

RECOMMENDS FURTHER that the Contracting Parties report on measures taken in accordance with this Recommendation, and on organic tin concentrations in the marine environment in areas where organic tin compounds may still be entering the marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area in the year 2000 and thereafter every three years,

RECOMMENDS FURTHER that this Recommendation should be reconsidered as soon as possible taking into account the development in other international fora (like IMO, EU).

Footnote: 

*)   In HELCOM Recommendation 9/10 the time-frame for taking effective measures was given as "as soon as possible but not later than 1991" 

**) Reporting to the Helsinki Commission in 2000 on HELCOM Recommendation 9/10 superseded by HELCOM Recommendation 20/4 should be done by using the reporting format for HELCOM Recommendation 20/4