What Happens to All the Human Waste on a Cruise Ship?

By Anna Duncan

Cruise ships generate a lot of human waste as they travel around the world. In fact, one large cruise ship can generate up to 210,000 gallons of waste water each day. This waste is usually composed of sewage and gray water, which are both highly polluting.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set stringent rules and regulations that all cruise ships must adhere to in order to protect the environment from this kind of pollution. All cruise ships must have an advanced wastewater treatment system in place that meets these regulations.

The wastewater treatment systems on board most modern cruise ships are able to treat all forms of sewage and gray water on board, including human waste. The process starts with a mechanical pretreatment stage, which separates solid particles from the liquid. Then the liquid is treated with chemicals such as chlorine or ozone to kill bacteria and other contaminants.

Finally, the treated wastewater is discharged into the sea through special outlets that are designed to minimize any environmental impact. The treated wastewater is typically much cleaner than when it was first collected on board the ship, though it still contains some pollutants that may be harmful to marine life if not managed properly.

In order to ensure that no pollutants are discharged into the ocean, most cruise lines require their ships to store their sewage for at least 12 hours before it can be released. This gives them time to test it for any remaining contaminants and make sure it meets IMO standards before it is discharged into the sea.

So what happens to all the human waste on a cruise ship? It is treated with advanced wastewater treatment systems before being discharged into the sea in a way that minimizes any environmental impact. Cruise lines also take extra measures by storing their sewage for at least 12 hours before releasing it in order to ensure no pollutants are present when it enters the ocean.

Conclusion: Human waste on a cruise ship is treated using advanced wastewater treatment systems before being safely discharged into the sea in a manner that minimizes any environmental impact. Cruise lines also take extra steps by testing their sewage for pollutants and storing it for at least 12 hours before releasing it into the ocean in order to ensure no pollutants enter its waters.