Survival and the Seat
221
numbers of ‘cold—water’ sh. Apart from ill—effects on marine
organisms, the danger from thermal pollution may spread to human
populations. For example, measurements taken in the Puget
Sound, Washington, indicate that during the summer months a rise
in temperature of as little as I°F could trigger a rapid build—up in
types of plankton which are accumulated by shellsh and which are
highly toxic to people who might eat them. Furthermore, how
disease—causing bacteria react to thermal pollution is not known.
Pathogens sheltering in shellsh and other marine animals or held in
estuarine mud might prove a serious source of infection after changes
in the environment brought about by thermal pollution.
Apart from liquid pollutants, solid wastes, particularly garbage,
are also being dumped in coastal waters. Although such disposal
can completely destroy amenities and marine productivity, some
waste could be safely dumped at numerous sites, if only it would
sink. The Dillingham Corporation in the United States is looking
into this vexing question as part of the Solid Waste Program of the
US. Public Health Service. In one series of experiments o" Oahu,
for example, a deep-diving research submarine descended with a
wire basket containing assorted domestic garbage attached to it. As
the depth and hence the pressure increased, the small air—pockets
which endow much of this solid waste with buoyancy became
compressed and many collapsed completely allowing water to ood
them. By a depth of 300 feet only plastic objects in the test cage had
failed to become negatively buoyant and sink.
The dumping of solid waste—domestic garbage, industrial
slurries and the like—presents the most serious challenge to the
conservation of marine resources. Already scientists and the many
members of the general public who are becoming alive to the
threats of pollution are ghting‘ attempts to use the oceans as a
repository for all the world’s waste. In 1968 a storm of protest arose
after the proposal by Pêchiney Aluminium Works at Gardonne in
southern France to dump waste slurry in a 6,ooo—feet deep off—
shore canyon in the Mediterranean. In spite of vigorous delaying
tactics the scheme was still going ahead at the time of writing.
However, people must not assume automatically that all dumping is
necessarily bad. ln various parts of the United States a wide range
of rubbish from masonry rubble to old cars and trams thrown into
shallow coastal waters have become attractive areas for game shing.
Apparently, the sh favoured by sea anglers nd these articial reefs
221
numbers of ‘cold—water’ sh. Apart from ill—effects on marine
organisms, the danger from thermal pollution may spread to human
populations. For example, measurements taken in the Puget
Sound, Washington, indicate that during the summer months a rise
in temperature of as little as I°F could trigger a rapid build—up in
types of plankton which are accumulated by shellsh and which are
highly toxic to people who might eat them. Furthermore, how
disease—causing bacteria react to thermal pollution is not known.
Pathogens sheltering in shellsh and other marine animals or held in
estuarine mud might prove a serious source of infection after changes
in the environment brought about by thermal pollution.
Apart from liquid pollutants, solid wastes, particularly garbage,
are also being dumped in coastal waters. Although such disposal
can completely destroy amenities and marine productivity, some
waste could be safely dumped at numerous sites, if only it would
sink. The Dillingham Corporation in the United States is looking
into this vexing question as part of the Solid Waste Program of the
US. Public Health Service. In one series of experiments o" Oahu,
for example, a deep-diving research submarine descended with a
wire basket containing assorted domestic garbage attached to it. As
the depth and hence the pressure increased, the small air—pockets
which endow much of this solid waste with buoyancy became
compressed and many collapsed completely allowing water to ood
them. By a depth of 300 feet only plastic objects in the test cage had
failed to become negatively buoyant and sink.
The dumping of solid waste—domestic garbage, industrial
slurries and the like—presents the most serious challenge to the
conservation of marine resources. Already scientists and the many
members of the general public who are becoming alive to the
threats of pollution are ghting‘ attempts to use the oceans as a
repository for all the world’s waste. In 1968 a storm of protest arose
after the proposal by Pêchiney Aluminium Works at Gardonne in
southern France to dump waste slurry in a 6,ooo—feet deep off—
shore canyon in the Mediterranean. In spite of vigorous delaying
tactics the scheme was still going ahead at the time of writing.
However, people must not assume automatically that all dumping is
necessarily bad. ln various parts of the United States a wide range
of rubbish from masonry rubble to old cars and trams thrown into
shallow coastal waters have become attractive areas for game shing.
Apparently, the sh favoured by sea anglers nd these articial reefs