Cruise Ship Dumping Waste

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.

Cruise ship dumping waste. A cruise liner carrying 3000 passengers and personnel produces around 21000 gallons of sewage each day. On an individual level if you are planning a cruise investigate the cruise line to be sure their ships do not have a record of pollution see Cruise Ship Report Card. Even though cruise ship waste only makes up less than 5 of the total amount of garbage that went into the landfill in both 2018 and 2019.

Under the current Caribbean regulations ships can begin dumping garbage including metal glass and paper three miles five kilometres from shore as long. The ships waste incineration room is manned twenty four hours a day by crew members who differentiate glass based on its color. Indeed in 2016 Princess Cruises was fined a record 32 million for the illegal dumping of oil-contaminated waste from the Caribbean Princess cruise.

One vessel in an EPA study produced 74000 gallons of sewage pdf p2-1 in a single day. The sewage dumped into the sea teems with bacteria heavy metals pathogens viruses pharmaceuticals. There are separate teams to deal with each incoming recyclable.

Green brown and white. According to that 12-mile cut-off cruise ships are allowed to dump human waste in the ocean providing the right conditions are met. A 20 million fine levied on Carnival Cruises for improper waste disposal demonstrates that the industry is not above bending environmental rules.

But all those people use resources and produce waste. The cruise operator is on a five year probation after. It is perfectly legal for cruise ships to dump treated sewage in the ocean as long as they are three miles offshore.

Cruise ships like Symphony have a designated waste and recycling center. As reported by Miami Herald between April 2017 and April 2018 the inspectors recorded over 800 violations from all of Carnivals ships which included dumping 500000 gallons of sewage and 12 gallons of oil into the Bahamian waters. If you are on a cruise ship and observe any dumping of plastic or hazardous materials to sea you should report it to the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802.