New restrictions on a variety of ship-sourced airborne pollutants have been mandated by the International Maritime Organization.
Entering into force on 01 March 2025, new emission control areas for nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur oxides (SOx), and particulate matter (PM), will be established in Canadian Arctic Waters and the Norwegian Sea. The Norwegian Sea is approximately 1,383,000 km sq and is located immediately northwest of, unsurprisingly, Norway.
“ECAs are areas where special mandatory measures to regulate emissions from ships are required to prevent, reduce and control air pollution from NOx, SOx and PM, and their adverse impacts on human health and the environment,” the IMO reports.
Fossil fuel combustion results in a variety of air pollutants, three of which are listed above.
Nitrogen oxides
The first, nitrogen oxides, reacts with other pollutant chemicals in air to produce a photochemical smog that is activated by solar ultraviolet radiation and which is harmful to plant, animal, and human health. Nitrogen dioxide can form nitric acid which, when it is washed out of the air by precipitation, is commonly known by the name “acid rain”, which is harmful to plant, animal, human, and ecosystem health. Nitrous oxides are potent greenhouse gases and they also damage the ozone layer, which reduces the amount of ultraviolet light hitting flora and fauna (including humans) on the planet. For humans, the consequences of overexposure to UV light can include sunburn, premature skin aging, skin cancer, and eyesight problems.
Sulphur oxides
These compounds are harmful to animal and human respiratory systems and make it difficult to breathe. Airborne sulphur oxides can also react in the atmosphere to form sulphuric acid, which falls to the Earth as acid rain.
Particulate matter
These are pieces of matter, and in this context, typically products of combustion, that are ultra small – up to 10 micrometers, which is one millionth of a metre. Particulate matter can be a tiny fraction of the width of a human hair. They can be inhaled, leading to (over time) heart attacks, premature death in people with heart or lung issues, irregular heartbeats, an aggravation of asthma, decreased lung function and other heart-lung health issues. Particulate matter can lead to acid rain, can help make rivers and streams more acidic (which can cause species loss), changing the chemical composition of soil and a variety of other adverse ecosystem effects.
The new Emissions Control Areas were established by delegates from national governments at the International Maritime Organization, meeting for Maritime Environment Protection Committee 82, in London, in October.
