More than 18,000 boaters in Massachusetts are being told to put a sock in it. These special socks contain absorbent material that removes petroleum products from a boat's bilgewater. The state's coastal resource managers are distributing the socks for free to help promote the use of these pollution-reducing devices.
"People love them, especially the harbormasters," says Robin Lacey, program manager for the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management Marina Assistance Program. "It's a nice, easy way to educate boaters about the impact bilgewater can have on the environment."
Poor engine maintenance and accidental spills can cause oil, gasoline, and diesel fuel to collect in a boat's bilge, Lacey explains. When the bilge is pumped, these toxic petroleum products can be discharged into the water. The giveaway targets recreational boaters who may be unaware of the need to prevent the oily water from going overboard.
"Oil in the environment is always a top issue as far as marine pollution goes," Lacey says. "This is a very doable, low-tech program. It doesn't get much simpler."
The program began in 2000 when the coastal program funded an effort by the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program to distribute bilge socks to bay boaters. The program was so successful coastal managers decided to take it statewide.
Using implementation money received after the 2001 federal approval of their Coastal Zone Management Act, section 6217, coastal nonpoint program, Lacey says they went to vendors specifically looking for bilge socks made out of hydrocarbon-absorbing polymers, which can absorb 2.5 quarts of petroleum products per sock.
"The polymers permanently bind the oil and solidifies it so that the oil can't be squeezed out, and won't even drip out. This way, you don't have a disposal issue. It can just be tossed out with the household trash," Lacey explains.
Over the winter, Lacey worked with regional coastal staff to develop a distribution plan for 10,000 socks, which cost about $12 apiece. Harbormasters, watershed associations, and environmental groups all agreed to hand out the bilge socks. The vendor sent boxes of 50 socks directly to those who agreed to distribute them. "That way, we didn't have to bring them in-house and then ship them back out," he says.
The socks include instructions and information about why the use of bilge socks is important. The first 10,000 were distributed by the end of April 2002. With harbormasters asking for more, they ordered an additional 8,200. Lacey notes that the 18,200 socks distributed have the potential of removing 11,000 gallons of petroleum products from the state's coastal waters this year.
While the bilge sock distribution was a one-time event, Lacey says they plan to build on the program next year by creating outreach materials reminding boaters about the socks, and encouraging marinas to require them of boats in their slips.
"We don't want boaters to just take this one free item and forget the lesson," he says.
For more information on Massachusetts' free bilge sock program, contact Robin Lacey at (617) 626-1200 or Robin.Lacey@state.ma.us.
