BSEE Releases Marine Trash Training Video

The U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has developed a new marine training video focusing on the elimination of debris associated with oil and gas operations on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

The video is part of BSEE’s Marine Trash and Debris Program, which emphasizes education and regulation to minimize pollution and environmental damage. The program encourages the use of best practices, including improving the process for sending marine trash to shore, safely securing trash and debris on offshore facilities and training offshore personnel in the safe disposal of trash. 

The BSEE marine debris prevention program is outlined in BSEE’s Notice to Lessees and Operators 2015-G03 and requires offshore oil and gas operators to follow best practices to prevent marine debris. The program also requires annual training for all offshore workers and annual reporting of training records. 

While plastics such as water bottles only constitute about 13 percent of waste, their long durability results in massive accumulation, and plastics typically compose about 75 percent of debris on beaches. In the U.S., about 80 percent of marine debris washes into the oceans from land-based sources and 20 percent from ocean sources.