Some large international ships use exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers) to reduce the emissions of contaminants, including sulphur oxides, to the air. Scrubbers can create a washwater, (‘open loop’ systems) or in some cases a concentrated ‘bleed off’, (‘closed loop’ systems) which is then discharged to the marine environment. Some hybrid systems are also in use and can produce either type of discharge.
Some large international ships use exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers) to reduce the emissions of contaminants, including sulphur oxides, to the air. Scrubbers can create a washwater, (‘open loop’ systems) or in some cases a concentrated ‘bleed off’, (‘closed loop’ systems) which is then discharged to the marine environment. Some hybrid systems are also in use and can produce either type of discharge.
The findings are published in two reports – a scoping study and literature review (phase 1) and an environmental risk assessment (phase 2). This is phase 1 of the study.