EMSA: Overview of national dispersant testing

EMSA has issued a paper which provides general background information on the use of dispersants as an oil spill response option and looks into the national policies regarding dispersant use in Europe.

Facts on dispersant products currently approved and in stockpiles in Europe are also provided, highlighting that there are currently approximately 75 different dispersants approved for use in the EU/EFTA countries, but only 34 are stocked in Europe. The distinction between dispersants testing for product approval versus authorisation for dispersants use during an actual incident is also emphasised, as different requirements and procedures are in place for these two distinct authorisation phases. Dispersant product approvals and dispersant use authorisations are nationally regulated by the individual countries.

There are currently different approaches in dispersant product approval procedures across Europe. While it is known that laboratory tests, in general, do not represent conditions in the open sea, dispersant product approval procedures typically include tests for the:

• Effectiveness of the dispersant (test usually performed first, with low or high mixing energy);
• Dispersant’s toxicity or the toxicity of the treated oil (dispersed oil);
• Other additional tests, which usually include biodegradation, bioaccumulation, and similar toxicological tests

Find out more by reading the paper

source: http://www.green4sea.com/emsa-overview-of-national-dispersant-testing/