The Pros And Cons Of Ocean Dumping

umans generate millions of tons of waste which goes to who knows where. In 2013, the United States alone accumulated 254-million tons of trash. (EPA, 2013) Unfortunately, this massive amount of garbage does not just go away. Instead, it goes somewhere else. Many developed countries, such as the European Union, resort to “environmental dumping”. This is when trash from a developed country is literally dumped onto the territory of undeveloped countries, like Africa. Although there are agreements between countries, illegal dumping still occurs. (Syeda et al., 2013)

Green Wiki defines environmental dumping as the transfer of waste from the boundaries of one country to another. Developed Countries often do this to countries which have lesser environmental laws or enforcement. It is a sought out practice because it is a cheaper and easier way to dispose of waste without regulatory constraints within the country. Dangers arise when countries begin to incorporate hazardous waste into trans-frontier shipments of waste.

The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) estimated that there is more than 400

When sewage is treated, the remainder ends up getting dumped into the ocean. Sewage waste could be used as an alternative to agricultural fertilizer, but most actors in the process prefer to dump waste in the ocean because it is a cheaper means of disposal. Less than thirty-years ago (1990), there was 12-million tons of sewage waste dumped into the ocean in a single year. (MarinoBio,2015) In this instance, those who manage the sewage treatment could choose a safer alternative, but would risk loss of money. The practices of the United Nations implies that they do not think there is an effect eutrophication or human health. Why doesn’t the government have a type of subsidy that would encourage treatment facilities to “recycle” the