Cruise
ships generate hundreds of thousands of gallons of human sewage and offer a
host of amenities that create pollutants, including dry-cleaning, pools, hair
salons, restaurants, photo processing, and spas.
In one
week alone, a large cruise ship generates approximately:
o 210,000 gallons of human sewage,
o 1 million gallons of gray water (water from sinks, baths,
showers, laundry, and galleys),
o 25,000 gallons of oily bilge water,
o Up to 11,550 gallons of sewage sludge, and
o More than 130 gallons of hazardous wastes.
In an
EPA survey of 29 ships traveling in Alaskan waters, average reported sewage
generation rates ranged from 1,000 to 74,000 gallons per day per vessel with
the average amount of sewage generated being 21,000 gallons per day per vessel.
o Contamination of shellfish beds and seafood: "Sewage contamination in swimming areas and
shellfish beds poses potential risks to human health and the environment by
increasing the rate of waterborne illnesses." (EPA Draft Cruise Ship
Discharge Assessment Report)
o Beach Closings: In 2006, there were more than 25,000 days of closings and
advisories at ocean, bay and Great Lakes beaches, most due to the presence of
bacteria associated with fecal contamination.
o Threatening Pristine Ecosystems: Two major cruise ship destinations, Jamaica and Florida
are important examples of how dumping waste into our waters causes extreme loss
to marine biodiversity. In 2002, only five percent of the reefs around Jamaica
supported living coral compared with 60 percent 10 years earlier and in 2002,
about 90 percent of Florida's coral reefs were believed to be dead or dying.
Cruise
ships can currently freely discharge untreated raw sewage as close as 3 miles
from shore near beaches, recreational areas, and shellfish beds, and can
discharge highly contaminated graywater anywhere
along the coast.
These
discharges can and do occur near shellfish beds, beaches, and in pristine
marine ecosystems valued for their beauty and marine life.
"Congress
should enact legislation that regulates wastewater discharges from cruise ships
under the Clean Water Act…" (Pew Oceans Commission Report)
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