[gwynapnudd]

"exactly how is it nasty and toxic?"

Marine paint is still lead based paint. Breathing sanded particle can kill ya quick without the proper safety equiptment. Lead is the only base that can protect against barnicles. They make it at American Chemet in Helena, Montana.

I believe Hiway paint is still lead based too.

[sweetliberty]

"Lead is the only base that can protect against barnicles"

What about the poor barnacles? Isn't there some protection for them? Does PETA know about this?

[IRtorqued]

I remember the good ole days when we bathed in polychlorinatedbiphenyl (pbc) mixed with mercurous chlorite with a side of copperpac (dophinite tm) and zinc chromate. that was up until 1985 then NAVOSH came in and put poopysuits on all of us. to this day the navy claims no exposure of any personel of the above. I did a real close count on all six of my children and two as of today grandchildren of fingers and toes, so far so good.

prior to '85 the written sop for contact of pcbs was to wash with antimicrobial waterless hand cleaner, no one can not go near the stuff w/o full poopysuit faceshield resperator gloves and boots.

If there is any hazard in handling or movement of any material there are strict guidelines in place, anyone caught not complying with those standards would be yanked from the job faster then you can say 'dang'.

contractors allowing infractions would have the contract nulled with heavy fines to boot. all material removed such as paint and the media used to remove said paint is contained and tallied with a bill for clean-up as part of the work package.

last time I was in a drydock they where real hard on any crew member allowing anything to full into the drydock such as cigarette butts as there was an extra charge for cleaning any of that kind of stuff up.

[StriperSniper]

Anti-fouling boat bottom paint is copper based.