Danish waters are far more polluted than official reports indicate, according to the fisheries organisation FSK-PO.
In a recent statement, the group criticises the Ministry of Environment for failing to reflect the full extent of chemical and heavy metal pollution in the sea, despite earlier promises to improve monitoring.
Although Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke recently announced that 31 pollutants would be included in future assessments, key substances like copper, zinc, AMPA, and PFAS are still excluded. The primary reason is the lack of official threshold values — limits that help determine when pollution becomes hazardous to marine life and necessitates action.
Lasse Baaner, professor of environmental law at the University of Copenhagen, says economics also plays a role. “There’s a tendency to study the problem further instead of making difficult decisions,” he explains according to FSK-PO.
Cheap Dumping, Costly Consequences
One source of pollution is the dumping of seabed material into the open sea. This is currently the cheapest method of disposal, as it avoids land-based handling fees. However, it can spread toxic substances into surrounding marine environments.
According to internal government documents, new pollution limits could severely restrict this practice. For example, if stricter copper thresholds are adopted, around 80% of material from Odense Harbour would no longer qualify for dumping.
It would need to be processed and stored on land — a much more expensive option. The Ministry estimates costs could rise up to 20 times, potentially reaching as much as 3.5 billion kroner per year.
Minimum Standards Not Enough
FSK-PO argues that blindly following EU minimum standards is failing the environment. Just meeting the lowest requirements has led to inaction, even when clear evidence of pollution exists.
“Authorities must act when science demands it,” FSK-PO says. “Doing the minimum isn’t good enough.”