Offshore requirements in the North Sea - how the system works, country by country

• UK
  The OCNS (Offshore Chemical Notification Scheme) conducts hazard assessments, by means of a CHARM model, on chemical products which are used offshore. This results in a Hazard Quotient (HQ) relating to toxicity, bioaccumulation and biodegradability. The resulting HQ is converted to a colour banding, with Gold having very little environmental impact. The ZOK Gold Standard products are colour banded Gold, and contain no components which are candidates for substitution. The UK scheme is administered by Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science).
  
  
• Netherlands
  The Netherlands scheme is also administered by Cefas, but does not use the colour banding system.
  
  
• Norway
  Add Energy’s KPD Centre, who administer the HOCNF (Harmonised Offshore Chemical Notification Format) for Norway, list the products which are approved for use on a database which is only available to registered offshore end users.
  
  
• Denmark
  The Danish Environmental Protection Agency operate the HOCNF for Denmark, and ZOK products are listed on their files, with product registration numbers.