First Global Assessment of Environmental Considerations for Submarine Cable Decommissioning

ICPC Press Release
December 11, 2025

PORTSMOUTH, United Kingdom–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) welcomes the publication of the first scientific assessment of the environmental considerations associated with the decommissioning of submarine telecommunications and power cables. The study, led by a collaborative international team of academic ocean scientists and industry experts, fills an existing evidence gap and provides timely guidance for industry, regulators, and marine planners.

As demands for digital connectivity accelerate, more than 3.5 million kilometres of submarine cable have now been installed globally, with growing volumes of out-of-service infrastructure approaching or surpassing their 25-year design life. However, until now, no peer-reviewed scientific study has appraised the environmental impacts that may occur in instances when submarine cables are recovered after they have reached the end of their service.

The study published in the Journal of Environmental Management finds that environmental impacts from cable recovery are typically localised, short-lived, and significantly smaller in scale than impacts associated with cable installation. These primarily relate to shallower waters where cables are buried, with surface laid cables in deep water having even smaller impacts. It further concludes that biological colonisation of submarine cables by megafauna is the exception rather than the norm.

The research also highlights the circular-economy potential of cable recovery. Modern fibre-optic cables were found to remain structurally intact even after decades on the seafloor, with recoverable materials—including copper, steel, and plastic—achieving over 95% recyclability.

The lead author of the study, Dr Mike Clare of the National Oceanography Centre (UK), commented: ‘Our aim was to provide the first evidence-based assessment of the environmental implications of submarine cable decommissioning. We found that recovery operations typically create only a very localised and short-lived disturbance, while offering substantial benefits for recycling and the circular economy. In most cases, subsea cables remain in near-pristine condition—even after decades in the deep ocean—which means they can be safely and efficiently recovered and repurposed or recycled.’

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