Toxic Locks?

[JayCall]

My daughter and I were down at the boat today in Shilshole Bay. We stopped at the Ballard Locks on the way back and the small lock was closed for tis annual spring cleaning. I know there has been some discussiom here about local rules governing toxic botton paints but whatever the rules are, they must not apply to the Feds and the Locks. There were a couple of guys spraying the floating bollards and metal supports in the small lock with something to inhibit marine growth. I asked one of the lock tenders if he knew what it was but he didn't. At any rate, both guys spraying were in full respirators and even at about 100 feet, the closest we could get, the odor was awful! Very strong acetone type smell. From the smell and the full protective gear, it is hard to imagine whatever it was meets anyone's non-toxic standards!

[hellosailor]

Jay, there's toxic and there's toxic. Even simple "safe" two-part urethane paints are highly toxic while they are being sprayed. The fumes make moon suits and respirators necessary, but once they cure, you have "stable" non-toxic durable coatings.

The mmoon suits may be there simpy to protect the workers while the coatings are curing, and there may be nothing toxic left to leach out into the water. Acetone? Yeah, don't breath near a nail salon or dry cleaners, either. Even moth balls can kill you that way. (Or worse, twenty years down the line.)