132 



Two sites have been used for disposal of 

 most of the wastes in the Pacific Ocean. These 

 sites are approximately 48 nautical miles west 

 of the Golden Gate Bridge. One commercial 

 firm has disposed of wastes in the Pacific 

 Ocean farther than 150 miles from the U.S. 

 coast; these disposals, 11 in nvunber, were at 

 depths greater than 6,000 feet. In the Atlantic 

 Ocean, the major sites for disposal were in 

 the area of Massachusetts Bay, approximately 

 12 to 15 miles from the coast ; approximately 

 150 miles southeast of Sandy Hook, N.J. ; 

 and approximately 105 miles from Cape 

 Henry, Va. With the exception of the Mas- 

 sachusetts Bay site, disposal was at depths 

 greater than 6,000 feet. The Massachusetts 

 Bay site was in 300 feet of water. 



PAST TRENDS 



Figure 2 shows significant increases in ocean 

 dumping activities .during the years 1951- 

 1968. These data do not include dredge spoils 

 or explosives because historical data could 

 not be readily reconstructed. Radioactive 

 wastes are also excluded because of their neg- 

 ligible weight contribution. 



Table 11, on which Figure 2 is based, shows 

 a fourfold increase in tonnage dumped at sea 

 from 1949 to 1968. The 28 percent increase 



between the 1959-1963 period and the 1964- 

 1968 period is largely attributable to dra- 

 matic increases in industrial wastes and 

 sewage sludge disposal. In 1959, industrial 

 wastes disposed of at sea approximated 2.2 

 million tons. By 1968, the amount had in- 

 creased to over 4.7 million tons, a 114 percent 

 increase in 9 years. Tlie amount of sewage 

 sludge disposed of at sea increased by 61 per- 

 cent in the same period, from 2.8 million tons 

 to 4.5 million tons. (66) 



FUTURE TRENDS 



Assessing future trends in ocean dumping re- 

 quires analysis of basic population trends. 

 Population growth is accompanied not only 

 by increased amounts of wastes but also by 

 decreased space available for their disposal. 

 Between 1930 and 1960 the coastal popula- 

 tion increased by 78 percent, compared with 

 a 48 jiercent increase nationwide. (36) The 

 figures below (25) indicate the population 

 growth in the coastal region projected 

 through the year 2000: 



1960 57, &46, 000 



1970 68,397,000 



1980 76,607,000 



1990 92,940,000 



2000 106,900,000 



Table 11.— Ocean Dumping: Historical Trends, 1949-1968'- (66) 



1 Figures do not Include dredge spoils, radioactive wastes, and mili- 

 tary explosives. 



2 Estimated by fitting a linear trend line between data for preceding 

 period and data for succeeding period. 



3 Disposal operations in the Gulf of Mexico began in 1952. 



