Beach tar on Bermuda: Recent observations and implications for global monitoring

Petroleum residues (pelagic tar) have been reported from beaches all over the world since the 1960s, and have been quantitatively measured at a few locations. At the south-facing open ocean beaches of Bermuda, rapid exchange of tar with the sea makes it possible to use the quantity of beach tar as a measure of open-ocean petroleum pollution. Brief surveys conducted as part of a summer course from 1989-96 are reported here and compared with previously published results. A correlation between beach tar on Bermuda and the estimated input to the North Atlantic from accidents and operations is presented. We recommend continued systematic monitoring of ocean-facing beaches for petroleum residues as a simple and inexpensive way of verifying changes in pollution input from shipping and the effectiveness of international laws such as MARPOL 73/78, (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.