The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) is launching a new challenge in collaboration with Geovation – a start-up accelerator programme and initiative of Ordnance Survey (OS), the national mapping agency for Great Britain – to find a sustainable solution to diffuse coastal pollution.

‘Diffuse’ pollution is pollution from multiple and often unidentified sources which causes significant damage to the coastal environment on a global scale, including eutrophication, water quality degradation, and loss of biodiversity, as well as adverse effects to human health and the food chain.

To do this, the UKHO will grant participants in the Diffuse Coastal Pollution Challenge access to a world-leading range of data sets for Bathymetry and Maritime limits and Boundaries, Marine Protected Areas and Tidal Data. Fellow data providers and experts – including Ordnance Survey, the Met Office, and The British Geological Survey – will also provide participants with rich, high-quality data.

UKHO is looking for innovators who care about the environment and want to make a positive impact. The Diffuse Coastal Pollution Challenge is not only a unique opportunity to contribute to finding a solution to prevent the severe consequences of diffuse coastal pollution, but also winners will receive up to £5,000 funding to further develop their idea. Applicants must be UK residents over 18 years old or a UK registered Ltd company.

For the full information and details of the Diffuse Coastal Pollution Challenge and application process, visit here.