What Happens to All the Poop on a Cruise Ship?

By Alice Nichols

When you think of a cruise ship, the first thing that comes to mind is the luxurious experience of sailing away on the open seas. But have you ever stopped to think about what happens to all the poop on board?

Cruise ships generate an incredible amount of waste and sewage every day, and it’s important for cruise lines to manage it properly in order to keep their customers safe and healthy. Cruise ships are equipped with several different systems that help them dispose of waste and sewage safely.

The first step in proper sewage management is collection. On board a cruise ship, all toilets are connected to a central collection system which collects all the waste water and sends it to a holding tank. The tank is then emptied periodically by pumps that transfer the waste water offshore, where it can be treated by local authorities.

In addition to this, many cruise ships also have onboard treatment systems that can treat wastewater before it’s discharged into the sea. These systems use different processes such as filtration, chemical treatment and disinfection in order to remove any harmful bacteria or other contaminants from the water before it’s released back into the ocean.

Cruise ships also generate solid waste such as food scraps and paper products which have to be disposed of properly too. For this purpose, cruises employ specialized garbage disposal systems which shred and compact solid waste items before they’re loaded onto barges for transport back ashore where they can be disposed of properly in landfills or recycling centers.

Overall, cruise ships are designed with environmental protection in mind, so passengers can rest assured that their excursions will not leave behind any hazardous materials or pollutants in their wake. By carefully managing their onboard waste disposal systems and following strict regulations, cruise lines strive to minimize their impact on the environment while providing a safe and enjoyable experience for all their passengers.

Conclusion:

Cruise ships take great care when disposing of human waste in order to keep passengers safe and healthy while minimizing their impact on the environment. Thanks to well-designed onboard collection systems and treatment processes that remove any harmful bacteria or contaminants before releasing wastewater back into the ocean, passengers can enjoy their cruising experience without worrying about what happens behind-the-scenes.