Spills: Monitoring the marine environment
Statistics reveal that oil and grease constitute the main pollutants in Malaysian seas.
In Malaysia, most major oil spills occur in the Strait of Melaka because it is one the busiest shipping routes in the world. Smaller spills occur in the more open South China Sea. Since oil spills often have disastrous consequences, including the destruction of marine life and the pollution of tourist beaches, monitoring the marine environment is vital. The Department of Environment Malaysia (DOE) therefore carries out regular surveillance of the seas and has a national contingeny plan to combat spills. It also enforces laws regarding spills.
- Information in the full article includes
- Surveillance
- National contingency plan
- Consequences of spills
- Legislation