Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Bilge!

Untreated bilge water is illegally discharged into European waters about 3000 times each year (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/22/revealed-ships-may-dump-oil-up-to-3000-times-a-year-in-europes-waters). Untreated bilge water is often contaminated with oil. Bilge can also contain the larval stages of alien species picked up earlier on the ship's travels. Dumping of untreated bilge has many potential etrimental effects on marine ecology. Illegal discharge should be much more closely monitored. Offenders should be punished with fines that reflect more closely the costs of dealing with ecological damage.

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