EMERGING CONCERNS - Marine Pollution: What Everyone Needs to Know - page 131

deleterious effects in several fish species and invertebrates.
Because of limited data, scientists and regulators have been
reluctant to propose broad guidelines limiting their use. This
is an example of something becoming widespread in the envi-
ronment before we have learned much about its effects.
Are existing regulations adequate to protect against harm to marine
life, wildlife, and humans by these new chemicals? Are there any
technological improvements?
The current regulatory framework cannot keep up with the fast
pace of new chemical development and new uses. It seems that
chemicals get regulated in the US only after they have become
widespread, have been proven to be harmful, and after they
have caused extensive damage. That is a basic failing and weak-
ness of the toxic substance law, the Toxic Substances Control Act
(TSCA), which currently seems to protect the chemical manu-
facturers to a greater degree than the environment or human
health. New methods of measurement and better review of the
ecological risk of new chemicals is needed. Undoubtedly addi-
tional types of pollutants that we know nothing about will con-
tinue to be found once we know to look for them.
However, research in 2013 found out what happens to
nanosilver in a wastewater treatment plant—it does not
remain in metallic form for long, but is transformed into a sil-
ver sulfide salt. This is good news, because the silver sulfide
salt causes much fewer problems because this form of Ag is
much less soluble. In sewage treatment plants, about 95% of
the nanoparticles were bound in the sewage sludge, leaving
only 5% in the treated wastewater. This percentage could be
further reduced by using better filters.
What is Noise pollution?
Noise pollution in the ocean is another emerging concern.
For millions of years, the oceans have been filled with sounds