Huge mysterious pollution spot discovered off Swedish coast | Abroad

She discovered the discharge on Wednesday via satellite monitoring. The unknown dust spread over an area of ​​77 square kilometers in both Swedish and Finnish waters, but is no longer visible. ‘It is clear that this is not a mineral oil because it has a gloss on the surface. Which substance is involved must be apparent from laboratory analysis of samples we took. That is not expected to be clear until next week,” the Coast Guard said in a statement on its website.

“The fact that the substance is no longer visible does not mean that we can leave it at that,” said study head Jonatan Tholin in the message. “We are in the process of mapping the ships that crossed the area and whose cargo could be related to the discharge. We have spoken to crews as well as others involved and are working on the case. All discharges mean stress for the sea and marine life.”

An aerial reconnaissance failed today due to weather conditions. The Swedish Coast Guard and its Finnish colleagues increased their focus in the area. Tholin: ,,There are more and more new types of fuel that are transported by sea, such as biofuels. When they come into contact with water, they show a wide variety of behaviors, making it more complicated to quickly identify the substance.”

Controlling the discharge of substances other than mineral oils is a serious challenge for coast guards, he says, because they often do not have the necessary equipment and methods. The emissions also pose a challenge to current legislation and the possibilities to have the courts assess whether the regulations have been violated. “It is clear that all types of discharge have consequences for the marine environment,” said the head of the study.

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