# The Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind Farm Order 2026, Paragraph 17: Chemicals, drilling and debris


(1) Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the MMO, all chemicals and substances, including paints and coatings, used below MHWS for the undertaking of the licensed activities must be approved in writing by the MMO prior to use. Submission for approval to the MMO must take place no later than ten weeks prior to use, unless otherwise agreed by the MMO in writing.
(2) The undertaker must ensure that any coatings/treatments are suitable for use in the marine environment and are used in accordance with guidelines approved by Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency Pollution Prevention Control Guidelines.
(3) The storage, handling, transport and use of fuels, lubricants, chemicals and other substances must be undertaken so as to prevent releases into the marine environment, including bunding of 110% of the total volume of all reservoirs and containers.
(4) The undertaker must inform the MMO of the location and quantities of material disposed of each month under the Order, by submission of a disposal return by 15 February each year for the months August to January inclusive, and by 15 August each year for the months February to July inclusive.
(5) The undertaker must ensure that only inert material of natural origin, drilling mud and dredged material, produced during the drilling installation of or seabed preparation for foundations is disposed of within the disposal site reference(s) to be provided in writing by the MMO within the extent of the Order limits seaward of MHWS. Any material of anthropogenic origin will be screened out and disposed of at an appropriate waste facility onshore.
(6) The undertaker must ensure that any rock material used in the construction of the authorised scheme is from a recognised source, free from contaminants and containing minimal fines.
(7) In the event that any rock material used in the construction of the authorised scheme is misplaced or lost below MHWS, the undertaker must report the loss to the MMO Local Office within 48 hours and if the MMO reasonably considers such material to constitute a navigation or environmental hazard (dependent on the size and nature of the material) the undertaker must endeavour to locate the material and recover it.
(8) The undertaker must ensure that no waste concrete slurry or wash water from concrete or cement works are discharged into the marine environment. Concrete and cement mixing and washing areas must be contained to prevent run off entering the water through the freeing ports.
(9) The undertaker must ensure that any oil, fuel or chemical spill within the marine environment is reported to the MMO, Marine Pollution Response Team in accordance with the marine pollution contingency plan approved under condition 20(1)(d)(i).
(10) Debris or dropped objects which are considered a danger or hazard to navigation must be reported as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than six hours from the undertaker becoming aware of an incident, to the relevant HM Coastguard Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre by telephone (0344 382 0580), and the UK Hydrographic Office email: navwarnings@btconnect.com.
(11) All dropped objects including those in sub-paragraph (10), must be reported to the MMO using the Dropped Object Procedure Form (including any updated form as provided by the MMO) as soon as reasonably practicable and in any event within 24 hours of the undertaker becoming aware of an incident, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the MMO.
(12) On receipt of notification or the Dropped Object Procedure Form the MMO may require relevant surveys to be carried out by the undertaker (such as side scan sonar) if reasonable to do so and the MMO may require obstructions to be removed from the marine environment at the undertaker’s expense if reasonable to do so.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/138/schedule/13/paragraph/17 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/outer-dowsing-offshore-wind-farm-order-2026/schedule-13/paragraph-17
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.