Cruise Ships Dump Sewage In The Ocean
It is perfectly legal for cruise ships to dump treated sewage in the ocean as long as they are three miles offshore.
Cruise ships dump sewage in the ocean. Most raw sewage dumped into the oceans actually comes from seaside cities usually by a pipe which sends the sewage several miles out to sea before releasing it. But beyond that point its essentially a free-for-all. FOE also cites data.
Cruise ships generate a number of waste streams that can result in discharges to the marine environment including sewage graywater hazardous wastes oily bilge water ballast water and solid wasteThey also emit air pollutants to the air and water. Stop dumping thousands of gallons of poorly treated human waste into the ocean. A Royal Caribbean cruise ship sails up the Hudson River in New York City Gary HershornGetty Images.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency the cruise ship industry dumps 255000 US gallons of greywater and 30000 US gallons of blackwater into the ocean daily. It is also legal for the cruise industry to dump raw untreated sewage in the ocean once a. Such discharge has to be noted into a log book which is a legal document and.
How much trash do cruise ships dump in the ocean. Sewage from cruise ships includes not. Carnival reportedly dumped over 500000 gallons of sewage and 11000 gallons of food waste improperly in the year after it admitted to illegally releasing oil.
Federal law requires that cruise ships only dump treated wastewater if they are within three nautical miles of shore. Yes cruise ships can dump sewage into the ocean. Federal law requires that cruise ships only dump treated wastewater if they are within three nautical miles of shore.
But beyond that point its essentially a free-for-all. Ships can dump treated sewage anywhere in the ocean except in Alaskan waters where companies must comply with higher state standards. The EPA estimates that single 3000-person cruise ship pumps 150000 gallons of sewageabout 10 backyard swimming pools worthinto the ocean per week.
