Understanding Chemical Pollution at Sea

Abstract

Today, the internet has become a key method of communication. Young generations, as well as the wider public, now use smartphones and tablets on a daily basis to find information and gain understanding in different fields. With this as a backdrop, the Center of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution (Cedre) and Transport Canada naturally decided to pursue their collaboration by developing a website devoted to the issue of chemical pollution at sea. In 2011, a learning guide was released on chemical pollution at sea composed of 2 posters and a booklet. This learning package is intended for 12 to 18-year-olds and their teachers, but also for journalists, those potentially involved in spill response and the general public. This website (www.chemical-pollution.com) is divided into six major sections: an introduction to chemistry and a few examples of its uses; different aspects of shipping, such as the types of ships used and regulations; the main sources of chemical pollution at sea; spill prevention and preparedness; the different response techniques, systematically illustrated with examples of past incidents; the impact on human health, the environment and the economy. This interactive website features a series of original animations. Users can, for instance, discover the organization of a port terminal, view the behavior of different chemicals, and understand techniques used to respond to a spill of bulk cargo. A quiz, with different levels of difficulty, offers users the chance to test their knowledge on this theme. A character named Phosphacola accompanies younger users on a journey to follow a chemical from its extraction to its end use, presenting its transport across the world's oceans and the spill risks to which it may be exposed.