/ Improved definition of pollutant effects in coastal marine environments is needed for two principal reasons. First, we need better understanding of how much pollutant degradation exists. Then we need more agreement on its social importance. Only then can society decide more consistently and equitably how much pollutant impact is tolerable and how much is too much. Scientists alone cannot define "unreasonable degradation" in a social sense, of course, but we can define quantitative scales of degradation and (together with nonscientists) specify ranges on these scales of "warning" and "alarm." Rationales are presented for the urgency of these improvements.A strategy is described for indexing the socially relevant features of coastal environments at greatest risk from pollutants. The strategy differs from most existing environmental indices in several respects. Each of the 11 indices proposed is constrained by the following design criteria: (1) socially relevant, (2) simple and easily understood by laymen, (3) scientifically defensible, (4) quantitative and expressed probabilistically, and (5) acceptable in terms of cost.Evaluations of the draft indices are being completed by more than 50 collaborating scientists. One index is described to illustrate the utility of simple, socially relevant measures of marine degradation.

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As environmentalists, we must constantly be aware of, and recognize the potential pollution problems that might result from an oil spill cleanup approach or system. Based on biodegradability and ultimate oxygen demand data developed by the Edison Water Quality Laboratory as well as others, it would appear that more than knowledge of toxicity and emulsion efficiency should guide our decisions regarding the use of chemical dispersants for oil spill cleanup.

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