Yan 
295 
dissolved oxygen content of the overlying liquid. Looking at total annual quan- 
tities of New York City sludge taken to sea during the last thirty years: 
NGA 
Wet tons Dry tons 
On ee £7 a! eres tL ee 
Oo a a a mT Nb 1) 1, 619, 000 69, 350 
Deteetige i. ->----~----------------22-2---cccnessccnaudecpsugebosaee 1, 754, 000 68, 921 
OMEN tii to”: «7-7 7-->~------------------------0-s05-nsuasbbeL ane 1, 958, 000 98, 641 
Ose SS ee ema nmn LR RIE | Teyr i: 1 \kap) 1, 989, 000 87,440 
During this period a significant amount of sludge was deposited on filled park 
land to create topsoil for golf courses and general park use. Were more such 
land available, it would be an ideal method of disposal, involving true recycling. 
For example, during 1967 alone, 3.9 million cubic yards were placed on Parks 
Department property. 
We fully sympathize with present public concern with respect to the impor- 
tance of environniental protection in the area of water quality, particularly in 
New York Harbor. At present we are actively engaged in a scientific and objec- 
tive analysis of the waters of Jamaica Bay, a moderately large, almost fully 
enclosed body of water not far from the present dumping grounds near Ambrose 
Light. Present plans are to proceed with a comprehensive study which will 
extend to the waters of the entire New York Bight, including disposal grounds 
themselves. We are now engaged in the selection of a consultant for the first 
year of this study, which should shed much more light on the ecological conse- 
quences of water-connected activities in the New York Metropolitan area. 
Recent public criticism of ocean disposal has raised the question of its advis- 
ability. Unfortunately, much of this criticism has not considered the alternatives 
and the adverse environmental consequences associated therewith, nor has it 
considered the total environment of man on tidewater. The immediate aqueous 
environment is the estuary, and it is to protect the quality of the estuary that 
most water pollution control plants on tidewater are built. Over emphasis on the 
oceanic efforts to the neglect of the immediate human environment might be 
termed an unbalanced approach. 
Thus far, the available studies and our information indicate that the disposal 
grounds have had no measurable effect on man’s use of the coastline. Coliform 
counts at ocean beaches are considerably lower than at beaches within the 
estuary, because the estuary water is retained long enough to spend its bio- 
chemical oxygen demand and the coliform “dies away” before exiting to the open 
sea, thus protecting the most desirable beaches. 
Thus, it can hardly be said that an emergency exists calling for peremptory 
action in either changing the disposal point or prohibiting ocean disposal, which 
may lead to more undesirable environmental consequences. Now is the time for 
thorough study and evaluation, with the setting of short and long range goals 
based on the findings, and always considering alternatives with respect to air, 
water or land resources. If such an evaluation indicates that in the long run 
ocean disposal may have undesirable effects sufficient to warrant the use of 
alternatives, whether because of heavy metals, toxic materials or other reasons 
that may become apparent on further study, a massive demonstration effort 
must be mounted to develop the programs and hardware for other forms of 
disposal, be they on land, or by dewatering or oxidative processes, wet or dry, 
isposal. i 
gE eed crcoL tnrironmental Center in New York City, now under design, 
consideration is being given to installation of equipment which would prepare the 
sludge for incineration in a very large adjacent municipal refuse incinerator, also 
under design. If such an installation is decided upon, it will be the first New York 
City pollution control plant not dependent on ocean disposal of sludge, and may be 
used as a process evaluation center, aided by the availability of huge furnaces al- 
most within the same structure. Should a large rail haul refuse landfill program 
develop within the northeast corridor, as has been proposed, it would be an ideal 
project within which to incorporate sludge disposal on a test basis. ; 
We therefore suggest the development of definitive scientific information as 
to the precise consequences of our present program before the investment of 
large sums and effort that might better be devoted to other aspects of the wa- 
ter pollution control program. It is suggested that federal funds be made ayail- 
