Painting your boat
Many boat paints are useful for keeping your boat free of plants and animals, but there are some risks associated with using them.
Many boat paints are useful for keeping your boat free of plants and animals, but there are some risks associated with using them.
Many boat paints are ‘antifouling paints’, which means they have special chemicals in them to stop plants and animals growing on the bottom of the boat. These paints are useful, because they help boats run more efficiently and safely, and also stop pests from spreading around New Zealand’s coast.
For more advice call The Poisons Centre on 0800 764 766 (0800 POISON).
If a person is not breathing or is unconscious, call 111 immediately.
Read the label of the paint you are planning to use to learn how to use it safely. You can also ask at the store for a safety data sheet, which has even more information.
Set up a ‘controlled work area’. This is an area where nobody can get in without you knowing, and no paint can get out while you are working. You need to:
This is a job for adults only. Make sure children are kept well away.
Antifouling paint can make people sick, and hurt your skin if it gets on you. It can also kill plants and animals, and damage the environment. Follow these tips to stay safe.
The paint you scrape off your boat can still be very toxic. It can make people sick, kill plants and animals and hurt the environment. When you are scraping, sanding or removing paint from your boat, make sure to:
You need to make plans to dispose of paint scrapings or residue. This old paint can still be very toxic, make people or animals sick, and can hurt the environment. You can’t put it in your usual council rubbish bins.
Check if your marina has a system or facility you can use to get rid of the old paint. Otherwise, contact your regional council for information on hazardous waste landfills in your area.