WWII shipwrecks in Australian waters pose environmental threat, experts warn
Several World War Two shipwrecks in Australian waters have been described as "ticking time-bombs" due to their potential to leak toxic materials into sensitive marine areas. A research and conservation organization warns that some of these vessels are at risk of breaking up and releasing unknown quantities of oil and chemicals.
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00:00World War Two ships have been corroding ever since they sank 80 years ago.
00:09These potentially plunar wrecks are what we call the biggest problem that people haven't
00:14heard of.
00:15World War Two wrecks are scattered all around Australia, six have been identified as a serious
00:20environmental threat.
00:22They include three US ships sitting at the bottom of the Coral Sea, another vessel called
00:27MV Limerick just 18 kilometres east of Ballina in New South Wales, and two off Victoria's
00:34coast, SS Cambridge and the city of Rayville.
00:38These wrecks are changing, in a five year period you can visibly see the decay of these
00:43shipwrecks so it's not a matter of if but when they will collapse.
00:48Work is underway to determine how much fuel each ship was carrying when it sank and how
00:53much of it could still be on board, but it's a challenging and lengthy process.
00:59It's really important that these wrecks are properly documented and detailed assessments
01:07of the risk are conducted.
01:11But while it's costly, there is a solution.
01:15The Major Projects Foundation estimates it would cost at least three million dollars
01:20to remove oil and other chemicals from a single corroding wreck.
01:25While that may sound like a lot, the cost of doing nothing is much higher.
01:29The cost of a single oil spill kind of response, you're often talking 20, 30 million dollars.
01:35But the Australian Maritime Safety Authority says it's not aware of any funding nor proposals
01:41for funding to address such wrecks.
01:46Unlike a lot of issues you have with impacts to the environment, global climate change,
01:52these sort of broader issues, this is one of those things that you can control.
01:57Shining the spotlight on these wrecks before it's too late.