Publisher's Synopsis
Oil spills, radioactive waste disposal, ocean dumping, and coastal reclamation and engineering are among the factors contributing to the destruction of the marine environment. The view that the sea is a safe dumping ground for waste is now strongly opposed by those who feel it is an irreplaceable resource - in danger of being irretrieveably damaged, if not destroyed.;Clark's book is a dispassionate exploration of the scientific aspects of marine pollution, designed to be accessible to non-specialists. He explains the main inputs to the sea, what happens to them, their effect on marine organisms and ecosystems, and their impacts on commercial fisheries and threat to human health. Case histories of pollution in particular geographical areas (the North Sea, Baltic, Mediterranean, Caspian, and Caribbean) are examined. The final chapter discusses the issues that have to be taken into account in evaluating the impact of pollution, and also the fundamental scientific questions that this raises.;Professor Clark is the founder and editor of Marine Pollution Bulletin , a founder member of the UN Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution, and a member of the Council of the National Environment Research Council.
