Tributyltin Pollution: the Catastrophe that Never Happened

There are enormous economic and environmental benefits from using tributyltin (TBT)-based antifoulants and, since regulations have reduced levels of TBT contamination, the benefits have increased relative to the environmental costs. Ambient concentrations of these compounds have declined in the water column, in sediments (although less so) and in the tissues of molluscs. Concomitantly, there have been recoveries of populations of marine organisms from the earlier impacts of TBT. Serious pollution is now confined mostly to areas close to centres of commercial shipping activity. It is argued that the proposed ban on TBT from 2003 is premature. It should be delayed until alternative products, which have been proved to perform at least as well as TBT in environmental and economic cost/benefit analyses, are available.