Overview
Antifouling paints containing biocides are classed as biocidal products and are regulated like pesticides in many countries. Whilst biocidal antifouling products are important to the shipping industry for economic and environmental reasons,
those deemed damaging to the environment or dangerous to human health will be eventually phased out.

When evaluating the safety of antifoulings to man and the environment, the key issues are:

• Effects on non-target organisms
• The length of time biocides remain in the environment
• Build up in the marine food chain
• Safety during application

Foul release coatings which do not rely on biocides to work do not require registration as pesticides or biocidal products.

Keywords: Tributyltin, TBT,  IMO, Sweden, The Netherlands, Canada, USA, Europe, EU, Denmark, UK, China, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, India, Hong Kong, New Zealand