Measuring the biological impact of drilling waste on the deep seafloor: an experimental challenge

•Deep-sea offshore drilling operations generate byproducts known as drilling waste.•Worldwide environmental regulations on drilling waste discharges constantly harden.•The environmental impact of drilling waste on deep-sea ecosystem is largely unknown.•High hydrostatic pressure greatly complicates environmental investigations.•R&D on new pressurized bioassays is needed to assess of these potential impacts.