Carnival cruise ship dumped 5,900 gallons of gray water into the ocean at Port Canaveral
MIAMI _ Carnival Corporation again has found itself in the spotlight for pollution, this time for discharging untreated gray water into the ocean while at Port Canaveral.
On Thursday morning, while the company's Carnival Elation cruise ship was docked, a gray water valve "failed and unintentionally discharged gray water from non-sewage waste water systems," a company spokesperson said in a statement. Around 5,900 gallons of untreated gray water spilled into the ocean, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection confirmed.
The spill happened when the ship was discharging water from its ballast system to stabilize it, Carnival said. Port Canaveral authorities told The Orlando Sentinel that no cleanup was necessary. The ship continued on its scheduled four-day cruise Thursday afternoon.
Gray water is water left over from showers, baths, sinks and laundry facilities. Untreated gray water can contain bacteria, pathogens, oil and grease, detergent and soap residue, metals, solids and nutrients, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The U.S. prohibits cruise ships from discharging untreated gray water within three miles from land. Carnival Corp. policy prohibits gray water discharges within 12 miles from land. The Intentional Maritime Organization, a United Nations body charged with preventing ocean pollution, does not regulate gray water.
_ Miami Herald
