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6. Regardless of certain MARPOL regulations which allow dumping of specified 

 materials and wastes, some cruise lines have determined they will dump nothing at 

 sea. Instead, all garbage is carried onboard until reaching a port where proper waste 

 disposal facilities are available. 



7. Modern cruise ships are being built with state-of-the-art environmental waste 

 management systems , as shown in Appendix "C", which include equipment to grind 

 food wastes, incinerate paper and plastics, shred incombustible trash for disposal at 

 sea, and compact glass, metal, and cardboard for recycling. (See Appendix "D" for 

 an example of a system currently in use which includes a description of the total 

 waste processing system.) Since each passenger cruise vessel is a unique, one-of-a- 

 kind design, the equipment must also be specified to comply with strict safety and 

 stability standards for that passenger vessel. Costs for designing and installing these 

 systems are substantial for new ships, and sometimes more on older ships if they 

 must be redesigned for retrofitting. In addition to the out-of-pocket costs, a major 

 consideration is the space requirement since on each vessel space is at a premium. 



Mr. Chairman, those of us who make our livings from the sea recognize perhaps more than 

 others that the seas and oceans of the world are part of a delicately balanced ecosystem requiring 

 constant care and attention. The cruise industry is keenly aware of the critical role it plays in 

 this balance and welcomes the responsibility to do all it can to safeguard our marine 

 environment. 



I will be happy to answer your questions. 



