13 



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it is not surprising that these ecosystems are stressed. 

 Significant fractions of the total waste generated within the 

 region are released to these marine waters, some deliberately 

 and some inadvertently. Once contaminants enter marine waters 

 control becomes impractical. They are subject to dispersal 

 and to biological, chemical and physical modification. Wastes 

 released in dispersive environments may augment direct contami- 

 nant loadings in other closely coupled environments. Since the 

 Bight, Estuary and Sound are linked to one another, waste manage- 

 ment for one must take into account the other two as well. 



Wastes enter the Bight from the Hudson-Raritan Estuary, 

 through land runoff and atmospheric fallout, by way of sewer 

 and industrial waste outfalls, and via the ocean dumping of 

 acid and industrial wastes, dredged material and sewage 

 sludge (Figure 1). The rates of contaminant input to the 

 New York Bight are among the highest observed when compared 

 with inputs to waters off the most industrialized coasts of 

 the world. Most of the wastes are initially discharged to 

 the Harbor of New York and New Jersey (a large portion of the 

 Hudson-Raritan Estuary) which functions as a partial trap for 

 both nutrients and toxicants. 



In April 1976 NOAA published a comprehensive" examination 

 of the location and magnitude of contaminant inputs into the 

 New York Bight. The report indicated the relative importance 



