davestocker
Well-known member
I dropped a line to David Miliband,
the DEFRA minister, yesterday, along the following lines;
'Artificial reefs - could they provide an elegant solution to waste disposal?
Are you aware of the power of artificially created reefs in the sea, to boost biodiversity and provide sanctuary for marine wildlife, at a time when it much of this wildlife is under the threat of over-exploitation?
Artificial reefs can be created out of large man-made objects like decommissioned ships and planes (and no doubt trains and large vehicles) that are disposed of on the sea bed a suitable distance offshore, after any potentially toxic components have been removed. Over time these structures that have been dumped become colonised by marine wildlife of all kinds, starting with smaller life forms and ending with fish.
Contrary to what one might expect, disposing of waste of this kind at sea whilst appearing to be the opposite of ?green?, in fact delivers the ?greenest? of outcomes, as well as hiding the waste from human view and reducing energy inputs into its disposal.
I understand the artificial reef movement is alive and well in the USA and Canada, and I?m wondering whether the Government might consider looking at expanding the creation of such reefs in UK coastal waters.'
It seems to me that creating reefs in the sea from suitable waste is a no-brainer. But why have we only one 'living reef' in UK waters?
the DEFRA minister, yesterday, along the following lines;
'Artificial reefs - could they provide an elegant solution to waste disposal?
Are you aware of the power of artificially created reefs in the sea, to boost biodiversity and provide sanctuary for marine wildlife, at a time when it much of this wildlife is under the threat of over-exploitation?
Artificial reefs can be created out of large man-made objects like decommissioned ships and planes (and no doubt trains and large vehicles) that are disposed of on the sea bed a suitable distance offshore, after any potentially toxic components have been removed. Over time these structures that have been dumped become colonised by marine wildlife of all kinds, starting with smaller life forms and ending with fish.
Contrary to what one might expect, disposing of waste of this kind at sea whilst appearing to be the opposite of ?green?, in fact delivers the ?greenest? of outcomes, as well as hiding the waste from human view and reducing energy inputs into its disposal.
I understand the artificial reef movement is alive and well in the USA and Canada, and I?m wondering whether the Government might consider looking at expanding the creation of such reefs in UK coastal waters.'
It seems to me that creating reefs in the sea from suitable waste is a no-brainer. But why have we only one 'living reef' in UK waters?