165 



We often do not take adequate account of the fact that oceans — 140 

 million square miles of water surface — cover over 70 percent of the 

 earth. They are critical to maintaining the world's environment, con- 

 tributing to the oxygen-carbon dioxide balance in the atmosphere, af- 

 fecting global climate, and providing the base for the world's hydro- 

 logic system. Oceans are economically valuable to man, providing, 

 among other necessities, food and minerals. 



The coastlines of the United States are long and diverse, ranging 

 from the tropical waters of Florida to the Arctic coast of Alaska. 

 These areas, as biologically productive as any in the world, are the 

 habitat for much of our fish and wildlife. They also provide transpor- 

 tation, recreation, and a pleasant setting for more than 60 percent 

 of the Nation's population. 



These waters are also the final receptacle for many of our wastes. 

 Sewage, chemicals, garbage, and other wastes are carried to sea through 

 the watercourses of the Nation from municipal, industrial, and agricul- 

 tural sources or directly by barges, ships, and pipelines. 



The amount of wastes actually transported and dumped in the ocean 

 is small in terms of the total volume of pollutants reaching the oceans. 

 But even so, the Council estimated that in 1968 slightly over 48 mil- 

 lion tons of waste were dumped at sea off the shores of the United 

 States. Of this total, the main source of ocean dumping were : 



(1) Dredge spoils — the solid materials removed from the bottom 

 of water bodies, generally for the purpose of improving navigation 

 ( 80 percent of the total by weight ) ; 



(2) Industrial wastes- — acids, refinery, pesticide and paper mill 

 wastes, and assorted liquid wastes (10 percent) ; 



(3) Sewage sludge — the solid material remaining after municipal 

 waste water treatment (9 percent by weight) ; 



(4) Construction and demolition debris — masonry, tile, stone, ex- 

 cavation dirt, and similar materials (about 1 percent) ; 



(5) Solid waste — ^the common refuse, garbage, or trash generated 

 by residences, commercial, agricultural, and industrial establishments 

 (less than 1 percent) . 



And, as we all know, small but potential tonnages of other materials, 

 such as explosive munitions and chemical warfare agents, have been 

 dumped. 



Tonnages are not a good indicator of the effect of the dumped ma- 

 terial. Dredge spoils, for example, can be contaminated with pollutants 

 from industrial, municipal, agricultural, and other sources on the bot- 

 tom of water bodies. If these contaminants are oxygen-demanding ma- 

 terials, they can reduce the oxygen in the receiving waters to levels 

 at which certain acquatic life cannot survive. Heavy metal contamina- 

 tion can also create water concentrations toxic to marine life. Sewage 

 sludge, whether or not digested to control odors and pathogens, can 

 also contain significant concentrations of heavy metals and of oxygen- 

 demanding materials. 



Most of the dumping takes place in designated sites for the disposal 

 of certain types of wastes. Disposal sites for dredge spoils are scattered 

 off the Atlantic, gulf, and Pacific coasts, but most of the ocean disposal 

 of other wastes is concentrated in Atlantic sites off the heavily pol- 

 luted Northeastern States. The effects of dumping in a designated 



