RIASSUNTO
ABSTRACT
This paper analyzes the problems associated with the management of solid and liquid waste discharge from commercial watercraft, as well as the solutions to these problems. Specific areas of emphasis include the primary sources and types of waste discharges, the extent of their contribution to the pollution of the navigable waterways of the United States, federal legislation and policy concerning waste discharges from watercraft, present waste discharge management techniques, and possible alternatives to present management techniques.
INTRODUCTION
Numerous reports and articles on the quality of the marine environment have emphasized the potential of solid and liquid waste discharges from watercraft to pollute or contribute to the pollution of the navigable waters of the United States and the oceans of the world. ,As a result of these reports and articles, federal legislation has been promulgated to provide for regulations to govern the discharge of several types of solid and liquid wastes from watercraft, notably human body wastes, oil, and hazardous polluting substances. A large variety of management techniques, including operating practices and shipboard systems, have been developed for and adopted by federal, recreational, and commercial watercraft to enable them to comply with these federal regulations as well as state regulations, foreign regulations ,international treaties, and ,possible near future federal, regulations and standards. This paper discusses and evaluates the solid and liquid waste management techniques being developed for and adopted by the commercial watercraft of the United States.
SOURCES AND TYPES OF POLLUTION
The primary sources of commercial watercraft waste discharges are the sanitary system, ballast system, bilge system, oil tanker tank cleaning system, and assorted solid waste sources. A brief description of these sources, as well as the types of pollutants that may come from each source, follows
SANITARY SYSTEM
The sanitary system of a commercial vessel may consist of the following components: (1) toilets, (2) sh9wers, (3) washbasins, (4) slop sinks, (5) galley sinks, (6) dishwashers, (7) clothes washers, and (8) water fountains. All of these items may not be installed on every commercial watercraft. However, those that are installed would comprise the vessel's sanitary system.
Untreated or improperly treated waste discharges from the sanitary system of a vessel may contain the following pollutants: (1) organic matter that will cause depletion of dissolved oxygen in and offensive odors around receiving waterways as it is. decomposed; (2) pathogenic organisms and viruses which may cause diseases in humans through personal contact with contaminated waterways or personal consumption of marine animals that have been in contact with such waterways; (3) suspended solids that cause discoloration and turbidity (with resulting loss in light penetration) and which may cause the eventual formation of a sludge blanket covering the bottom of the waterway.