million tons in 1968, as averaged over certain periods during that time. In the
years
1950—1968 (approximately
the same period), world population in—
creased by less than one-and-a-half—fold (from 2.4 billion to 3.483 billion) and
world energy consumption—a rough index of industrialization—increased by
_
less than two-and-a-half—fold (from 26109 million metric ton coal equivalents
to 6306). It appears
that shipping
wastes to the sea as a method of waste disposal is growing
at a more rapid rate than could be accounted for simply by
population or industrial growth [44].
Finally, these studies do not provide a picture of the amount of industrial
and domestic wastes piped directly into the ocean—a practice
which also is
increasing in industrialized countries. In addition to the discharge of toxic
materials from factories, ever larger volumes of heated cooling water with a
potential for degrading
marine life are being discharged from electrical
power generating plants built on estuaries and coastlines to take advantage of
the vast source of cooling water at the ocean’s edge [45].
Then these are the sewage pipes. In 1970, some 130 sewage
waste pipes
from the New York Metropolitan region emptied into the New York Eight,
producing a total ow of 1843 million gallons per day—16 percent of Which
received no treatment at all. In addition, some 23 communities along the
New ]ersey shore purnped untreated sewage sludge directly into the Eight
through pipes extending as far as 1000 feet from shore. On a worldwide basis,
several million tons of solid domestic wastes are piped through sewers to the
‘
oceans each year [46], an amount that can be expected to increase with the
world’s population and, particularly, with the continued growth of the
world’s coastal cities.
-
Toward More Tranquil Seas
.
.
.
To solve the problem of ocean pollution requires, for one thing, & careful re—
assessment of human activities in light of the relative inux of waste from various sources. For example, to be effective, commendable programs
to reduce
oil pollution from tankers by retaining oil wastes on board instead of pump—
ing them into the sea during routine operations and to create international
agreements that control oil pollution at sea [47] must be complemented by
controls on hydrocarbon wastes put to sea from both airborne and riverborne
sources. Considerations for potential contamination from large new chemical
tankers must be extended to serious daily contamination from the intentional
dumping of large volumes of chemical wastes in the ocean. Expenditures
to
treat sewage sludge routinely discharged from barges at sea must be applied
as
well to
the treatment or elimination of equally toxic materials piped
directly
into the
ocean from shoreside cities. By the same token, efforts to
ehmmate the
direct discharge of mercury, other heavy metals, and many
chenucals into
the ocean
will be incomplete without control of the airborne
contamination
from mdustrial and domestic processes that discharge similar
materlals. The degree to which these controls should be applied calls for a
84
Ocean Trial
years
1950—1968 (approximately
the same period), world population in—
creased by less than one-and-a-half—fold (from 2.4 billion to 3.483 billion) and
world energy consumption—a rough index of industrialization—increased by
_
less than two-and-a-half—fold (from 26109 million metric ton coal equivalents
to 6306). It appears
that shipping
wastes to the sea as a method of waste disposal is growing
at a more rapid rate than could be accounted for simply by
population or industrial growth [44].
Finally, these studies do not provide a picture of the amount of industrial
and domestic wastes piped directly into the ocean—a practice
which also is
increasing in industrialized countries. In addition to the discharge of toxic
materials from factories, ever larger volumes of heated cooling water with a
potential for degrading
marine life are being discharged from electrical
power generating plants built on estuaries and coastlines to take advantage of
the vast source of cooling water at the ocean’s edge [45].
Then these are the sewage pipes. In 1970, some 130 sewage
waste pipes
from the New York Metropolitan region emptied into the New York Eight,
producing a total ow of 1843 million gallons per day—16 percent of Which
received no treatment at all. In addition, some 23 communities along the
New ]ersey shore purnped untreated sewage sludge directly into the Eight
through pipes extending as far as 1000 feet from shore. On a worldwide basis,
several million tons of solid domestic wastes are piped through sewers to the
‘
oceans each year [46], an amount that can be expected to increase with the
world’s population and, particularly, with the continued growth of the
world’s coastal cities.
-
Toward More Tranquil Seas
.
.
.
To solve the problem of ocean pollution requires, for one thing, & careful re—
assessment of human activities in light of the relative inux of waste from various sources. For example, to be effective, commendable programs
to reduce
oil pollution from tankers by retaining oil wastes on board instead of pump—
ing them into the sea during routine operations and to create international
agreements that control oil pollution at sea [47] must be complemented by
controls on hydrocarbon wastes put to sea from both airborne and riverborne
sources. Considerations for potential contamination from large new chemical
tankers must be extended to serious daily contamination from the intentional
dumping of large volumes of chemical wastes in the ocean. Expenditures
to
treat sewage sludge routinely discharged from barges at sea must be applied
as
well to
the treatment or elimination of equally toxic materials piped
directly
into the
ocean from shoreside cities. By the same token, efforts to
ehmmate the
direct discharge of mercury, other heavy metals, and many
chenucals into
the ocean
will be incomplete without control of the airborne
contamination
from mdustrial and domestic processes that discharge similar
materlals. The degree to which these controls should be applied calls for a
84
Ocean Trial