Waste Disposal

Environmental concerns are taken very seriously by the cruise industry. Cruise ships must be capable of efficient handling of garbage and waste materials, as trash generated by passengers and crew must be managed, stored, and disposed of efficiently and economically. The larger the ship, the more waste is created, and the greater the need for reliable disposal systems.

The sheer magnitude of waste materials can be highly problematic, especially on long cruises. If solid waste is not burnable, or cannot be disposed of overboard (this must be biodegradable), it must be stored for later off-loading and disposal on land.

The latest cruise ships have “zero-discharge” facilities. These include incinerators and food waste handling systems that include vacuum transportation from feeding station in all galleys and food preparation areas, recycling and storage systems for ash, glass, metal and paper. But many older cruise ships have outdated garbage handling equipment.

Food waste is typically sent to a pulping machine that has been partially filled with water. Cutting mechanisms reduce the waste and allow it to pass through a special sizing ring to be pumped directly overboard or into a holding tank or an incinerator when the ship is within three-mile limits.

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		Berlitz 2010 Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships

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Berlitz Ocean Cruising & Cruise Ships 2009 by Douglas Ward © Apa Publications 2008-2009 www.berlitzpublishing.com

Berlitz Trademarak Reg.US Patent Office and other countries. MarcaRegistrada. Property of Berlitz Investment corporation and used under license by Apa Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG, Singapore Branch