Introduction

Jacques Monod stated in his seminal work "Change and Necessity" that "we all know that pollution is a bad thing" This has of course been extensively quoted over the years Clark (1989). Still, we are obliged to justify this statement and to attempt to quantify its implicit value judgements. Some preliminary questions must be posed.

1. In what way is pollution bad?
2. How bad is bad?
3. Bad for whom?

The only way to answer such questions in respect of marine pollution is to formulate other, less loaded questions, such as the following.

1. What kind of materials are discharged into the seas?
2. What effect do such discharges have on the marine environment and its organisms and communities?
3. What are the consequences for public health?
4. What is being done, or could be done to minimise or eliminate any ensuing undesirable effects?
5. What would be the effects if these discharges were not released into the sea?
6. Would this lead to an improvement in the present situation or not?