Omar Khalid
Cruise ships are a popular choice for vacations, but they have a significant impact on the environment. Despite being illegal under US and international maritime law, many cruise ships have been caught dumping plastic waste into the ocean, along with other forms of waste such as sewage and food waste. This has led to increased pollution, the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses, and damage to marine life and coral reefs. While some cruise lines have implemented better waste management practices, the cruise industry as a whole has been accused of having poor waste management practices, and even environmentally-conscious cruise lines are only making minimal efforts. With the cruise industry steadily rebounding after the COVID-19 pandemic, there is growing concern about the environmental impact of waste discharges from cruise ships.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic dumping | Yes, many cruise ships dump plastic waste into the sea. |
| Legality | It is illegal under US and international maritime law to dump plastic into the ocean. |
| Enforcement | The EPA and USCG regulate cruise ship discharges, but they do not tally the amount of waste disposed of by cruise ships. |
| Companies involved | Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruise Lines |
| Fines | Royal Caribbean was fined $20 million in 2019 for its illegal plastic disposal methods. |
| Environmental impact | Plastic dumping by cruise ships has been linked to wildlife deaths, toxic algae blooms, dead zones, and toxic water bodies. |
| Alternatives | Some companies incinerate solid waste onboard or bring it ashore for landfill or incineration. Others reuse, recycle, or convert waste into energy. |
| Customer opinion | More than 90% of those surveyed support requiring cruise ships to upgrade their onboard waste treatment facilities to fully treat sewage before release. |
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What You'll Learn
- Cruise ships pollute the ocean with sewage, food waste, and fuel waste
- US and international maritime law prohibit releasing garbage into the sea
- Cruise ships are exempt from the Clean Water Act's discharge permitting program
- Cruise ships increase ocean noise, air and water pollution, and spread bacteria
- Cruise lines have been fined for illegal plastic disposal methods
Cruise ships pollute the ocean with sewage, food waste, and fuel waste
Cruise ships are a major source of ocean pollution, discharging sewage, food waste, and fuel waste into the sea. These waste streams can have detrimental effects on marine life and the environment, contributing to a range of issues from water pollution to the spread of bacteria and viruses.
Sewage sludge, also known as blackwater, is released into the oceans, containing harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites. This waste is often untreated or inadequately treated, posing a significant threat to human health and aquatic life. Legislation, such as Section 312 of the Clean Water Act, prohibits the dumping of untreated sewage within 3 miles (4.8 km) of the shore. However, beyond this distance, cruise ships are permitted to discharge sewage into the ocean.
Food waste is another significant contributor to ocean pollution by cruise ships. Approximately 30% of food on cruise ships goes to waste, and this waste is often ground up, mixed with water, and liquified before being pumped out at sea. This liquified waste, referred to as "fish food," contains pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones, which can disrupt the balance of the predator-prey chain and harm marine wildlife.
Cruise ships also discharge harmful fuel waste into the oceans. They often utilize cheap, heavy fuel, which produces dirty emissions. To "clean" these emissions, cruise ships use scrubbers, which emit acidic wastewater containing heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), suspended particulate matter, and nitrates. This wastewater is then discharged into the ocean, further polluting the marine environment.
In addition to these waste streams, cruise ships generate large volumes of garbage, oily bilge water, greywater, ballast water, and solid waste. The rapidly expanding size and number of cruise ships have triggered a national cruise ship pollution crisis, particularly in U.S. waters. While initiatives like the Cruise Ship Report Card aim to raise awareness and encourage environmentally conscious choices, stronger laws and regulations are needed to adequately address this issue.
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US and international maritime law prohibit releasing garbage into the sea
Despite the existence of laws prohibiting the dumping of garbage into the sea, cruise ships continue to pollute the oceans. The release of garbage directly into the ocean is against US and international maritime law, yet many cruise ships have flouted these regulations and some have been fined as a result.
In 1973, the international community united to pass the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, commonly known as the MARPOL ("Marine Pollution") Convention, which was amended in 1978. This international protocol was adopted by virtually all maritime nations. In 1987, the US Congress enacted the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act to address the growing crisis of ocean dumping, particularly concerning plastics. This act was designed to prevent marine pollution and established strict measures for the disposal of waste from ships, including limitations on the disposal of plastics at sea.
In addition to the MARPOL Convention and the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act, there are other laws and agreements in place to protect the marine environment from pollution caused by the dumping of waste. The London Convention and London Protocol are international treaties that safeguard the oceans from the harmful effects of waste disposal. The United States implements the requirements of the London Convention through the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA), which authorises the EPA to designate and manage ocean sites for waste disposal.
While these laws and agreements provide a framework for regulating the disposal of waste at sea, the enforcement of these regulations remains a challenge. Despite the fines and penalties outlined in Title II of the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act, many cruise ship companies continue to illegally dump plastic waste, causing extensive environmental damage and harming marine wildlife.
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Cruise ships are exempt from the Clean Water Act's discharge permitting program
Cruise ships are significant contributors to ocean pollution. They discharge sewage, solid waste, ballast water, greywater, and bilge water, which may contain harmful substances such as oil, grease, heavy metals, and nitrates. While international and US maritime laws prohibit the dumping of garbage directly into the ocean, many cruise ships have been caught violating these laws.
The Clean Water Act (CWA), or Federal Water Pollution Control Act, is the primary US legislation aimed at limiting pollution in the nation's waterways. The Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, authorized in Section 402, requires point sources, including vessels, to obtain permits before discharging pollutants. However, a notable exemption exists for cruise ships and other vessels regarding sewage discharges.
Section 312 of the CWA specifically addresses sewage discharges from vessels. It prohibits the dumping of untreated or inadequately treated sewage from vessels within three miles of the shore of the United States. This distance from the shore is defined as navigable waters. While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the equipment that treats or holds sewage, it does not tally the amount of waste disposed of by cruise ships.
The exemption for cruise ships from the NPDES permitting program is a significant loophole that allows these vessels to discharge sewage legally in certain areas. This exemption has been a point of contention for environmental groups, who have challenged the EPA's interpretation of the CWA. Despite these efforts, the EPA has maintained its stance, and cruise ships continue to benefit from this regulatory gap.
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Cruise ships increase ocean noise, air and water pollution, and spread bacteria
Cruise ships not only dump plastic and other waste into the sea, but they also contribute to various other forms of pollution. Firstly, they increase ocean noise pollution, particularly in popular cruise destinations or remote areas, which can have detrimental effects on marine wildlife. Large commercial ships, including cruise ships, are the dominant human-generated contributors to low-frequency noise across ocean basins, which many animals rely on for survival. This noise pollution has been shown to cause higher stress rates, elevated predation risk, and lower foraging success in marine animals.
Secondly, cruise ships increase air pollution through the burning of cheap, dirty, heavy fuel to power their engines. To address this issue, scrubbers have been implemented to "clean" the dirty fuel air emissions. However, this allows cruise liners to continue burning cheaper, more harmful fuel, and the water used in the scrubber process is then discharged into the ocean, adding to water pollution. This acidic wastewater contains heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), suspended particulate matter, and nitrates, which are harmful to the marine environment.
Cruise ships also produce and dump large amounts of sewage and greywater, which can contain bacteria, viruses, and parasites, further spreading these harmful microorganisms. A large cruise ship can generate an estimated 210,000 gallons of human sewage and 1 million gallons of greywater in just one week. Additionally, cruise goers emit eight times the amount of carbon dioxide emissions per day compared to a land-based vacationer, contributing significantly to air pollution and climate change.
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Cruise lines have been fined for illegal plastic disposal methods
Cruise ships generate a huge amount of garbage daily, and while there are regulations in place to manage waste responsibly, some cruise lines have been fined for illegal plastic disposal methods. Dumping waste at sea is against US and international maritime law, but many companies have been caught doing so.
Carnival Cruise Lines, for example, has been fined $20 million for environmental crimes, with violations dating back to 1993. In 2016, its subsidiary Princess Cruise Lines paid $40 million for pollution, the largest-ever criminal penalty involving deliberate vessel pollution. In 2019, Princess Cruises and its parent company Carnival Corporation were fined $20 million for environmental violations, including dumping plastic waste into the ocean. Carnival has also admitted to illegally releasing oil into the ocean and deliberately hiding the practice.
In addition to the $20 million criminal penalty, Carnival agreed to pay for 15 annual audits and said it would restructure its corporate compliance efforts. If the company fails to meet court-imposed deadlines, it will be fined up to $10 million per day. Carnival is not the only cruise company that has failed to follow the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). Ross Klein, a cruise industry expert, has listed 18 violations reported in the media or public documents over two years, including excessive disposal of fecal matter and other untreated greywater.
Royal Caribbean was fined $20 million in 2019 for its illegal plastic disposal methods. While the law requires cruise ships to offload plastic at a port, many are doing the opposite. The cruise industry has been accused of having some of the worst waste management practices worldwide.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, despite US and international maritime law prohibiting the discharge of garbage into the water, many cruise ships have been caught dumping plastic waste into the sea. In 2019, Royal Caribbean was fined $20 million for its illegal plastic disposal methods.
Cruise ships are known to dump sewage, food waste, and fuel waste into the ocean. They also release "scrubber" water, which is used to clean smokestacks of harmful elements from exhaust fumes, adding further pollution to the ocean.
The environmental impact of cruise ship waste dumping is significant. It increases ocean noise, air and water pollution, and the spread of bacteria and viruses. The release of sewage and wastewater can lead to toxic algae blooms, dead zones, and toxic water bodies, causing harm to marine life and coastal communities.
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