Pollution Abatement

Ships generate a lot of trash, garbage, and sewage which stored, treated, dumped, or destroyed. Sewage cannot be dumped within 3 miles of shore. Oil and garbage cannot be dumped within 50 miles of shore.

Marine Sanitation Devices (MSDs): Enable ships to comply with sewage discharge standards without compromising the ship's mission capabilities such as limiting the ship's speed. An example is the CHT system.

Collection, Holding, and Transfer (CHT): The system designed to provide the capacity to hold shipboard sewage generated over a predetermined period. The CHT system will accept soil drains from toilets, urinals, and waste drains from showers, laundries, and galleys. If a CHT system component is leaking sewage in excess of its norm, it must be reported to the Executive Officer, Medical Officer, and Engineering Officer. Corrective action must then be initiated to stop the leak and then clean and disinfect the area. Personnel should wear protective clothing consisting of coveralls, rubber boots, rubber gloves, and hair covering as appropriate when contact with sewage is likely during maintenance or cleanup operations. No eating, drinking, or smoking while work is in progress. Additionally, they will be directed to wash with soap and water prior to leaving the area. In the event of a waste spill, the area should be flushed thoroughly and washed down with a detergent. Care should be taken not to pollute any other areas or systems. To insure no infectious diseases will be transferred, personnel who handle sewage hoses will not subsequently handle potable water hoses without first washing and changing into clean clothes.