Bilge pollution is a type of water pollution that occurs when the bilge water in a ship's hull is discharged into the ocean.[1][2][3] In a research published in 2019, it was estimated that up to 3000 cases of bilge dumping happen in Europe every year.[1] According to another estimate, approximately 52.8 million gallons of pollutants are discharged into the ocean annually.[4]
Treatment of bilge water, in which all contaminants are removed, is the preferred method of dealing with bilge water pollution.[1] Due to increased operational costs, companies mostly dump waste directly into the ocean without properly processing it.[1] Due to the presence of carcinogenic chemicals, bilge water waste is considered a threat to marine life and human health.[5]
- ^ a b c d Paddison, Laura; Silva, Beatriz Ramalho da; Bernhard, Max; Muller, Max (March 22, 2022). "Revealed: ships may dump oil up to 3,000 times a year in Europe's waters". The Guardian.
- ^ "Bilge dumping: Illegal pollution you've never heard of – DW – 04/28/2022". dw.com.
- ^ "Investigation: How toxic oil pollution at sea goes unpunished". frontline.thehindu.com. March 22, 2022.
- ^ "Ships are dumping bilge water into European waters up to 3,000 times a year, much more than what's reported". cnbctv18.com. April 2, 2022.
- ^ Özkaynak, Ömer Harun; İçemer, Gönül Tuğrul (December 28, 2021). "Determining the bilge water waste risk and management in the Gulf of Antalya by the Monte Carlo method". Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995). 71 (12): 1545–1554. Bibcode:2021JAWMA..71.1545O. doi:10.1080/10962247.2021.1972055. PMID 34432604. S2CID 237305493 – via PubMed.