How Many Marine Cleaning Products Are Actually Harmful to Aquatic Life?
For a complete explanation, read our MARPOL compliant boat cleaner guide.
Over the past year, we conducted a structured screening of publicly available Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for commonly used leisure marine cleaning products.
The results were eye-opening.
What We Examined
We reviewed two operationally significant categories:
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Boat wash products
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Bilge cleaners
These are products that are routinely used in marinas and boatyards, where discharge into marine waters is foreseeable and often direct.
What We Found
A substantial proportion of products marketed for marine use carry aquatic hazard classifications under GHS / CLP frameworks.
Key findings:
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A significant percentage of boat wash products are classified as hazardous to the aquatic environment
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A notable proportion of bilge cleaners also carry aquatic hazard classifications
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Across both categories combined, more than half of products screened carried some form of aquatic hazard statement
These classifications include designations such as:
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Toxic to aquatic life
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Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects
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Marine pollutant classifications
Why This Matters
Most consumers reasonably assume that a product labelled “Boat Wash” is suitable for routine use in a marina environment.
But hazard classification and marketing language do not always align.
This creates what we describe as an “Assumption Gap”:
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Product naming may imply marine suitability
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Regulatory classification may indicate aquatic toxicity
This isn’t about blaming manufacturers or boat owners.
It’s about transparency.
The Opportunity
The solution is proportionate and practical:
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Clearer front-of-label environmental classification
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Better point-of-sale transparency
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Improved awareness within marina environments
Small communication changes could materially reduce unintended operational pollution - without adding regulatory burden.
