Helen
Denmark is the first country around the Baltic Sea to ban the discharge of scrubber water from ships. Starting July 1, 2025, ships will no longer be allowed to release untreated scrubber water in Denmark’s economic zone. This decision is praised as an important step towards a sustainable marine environment.
Maria Granberg, a marine ecotoxicologist at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, is pleased with the decision. She states that scrubber water contains hazardous substances that harm the marine environment and hopes that more countries, like Sweden, will soon follow Denmark’s example.
Scrubbers on ships are used to reduce sulfur emissions according to international regulations that came into effect in 2020. However, the scrubber water, which contains sulfur and other harmful substances, is often discharged untreated into the sea.
The ban means that ships must use either low-sulfur fuel or closed-loop scrubber systems that do not discharge polluted water into the sea. Closed-loop scrubber systems will become mandatory for all ships starting July 1, 2029.
Source: IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet
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