Page 113: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2016)

OpEd Standardizing Shipboard “Green” Product Use

BY JOHN PAPARONE

A major paradigm shift is needed in relation to the ocean beyond the 3 nautical mile limit.

“green” cleaning products that are used aboard Let’s brie? y review what is in the gray water ships. Standardizing the use of these items is and its most proli? c sources. The galley and oth- critical to ensure the “real” safety of the environ- er food prep areas are major contributors, with ment while maintaining best practices for pre- cleaning products, fats, oils, and grease (FOG). serving equipment on an ongoing basis. While Commonly used housekeeping cleaning prod- other aspects of maritime operations have de- ucts include window cleaners, soaps, shampoos, tailed requirements and regulatory oversight, the etc. There is a great deal of water with “stuff” use of some cleaning products, particularly those in it in the gray water holding tank. “Stuff” that claiming to be environmentally friendly, are not would be treated in a wastewater treatment facil- well understood. ity ashore and “stuff” that gets discharged, where

For example, existing guidance via the EPA’s permitted, at sea without treatment.

“Design for the Environment (DfE)” or “Green It is generally acknowledged that products oth-

Seal” is not targeted to the aquatic environment. er than oil, such as solvents, etc., are discharged

The criteria is focused on land-based applications overboard as they are not detected by the oil that also have waste water treatment facilities. content monitor and OWS. This unsafe and ir-

The land-based scheme is based on toxicity of responsible practice is polluting the oceans with cleaning product formulations, residue to treat, unknown quantities of phosphates, caustics and etc. The bottom line is it is treated before release, alkalis, for instance, all because we are not fo- which is not necessarily analogous to onboard cused on using the best products, not only for the applications. ocean and the environment, but for desired re-

The DfE products are less toxic than their pre- sults in the cleaning process.

decessors and are designed to be readily biode- Clearly the government is not the answer. I am gradable, meaning they will provide complete suggesting that Classi? cation Societies set and biodegradation by way of converting their com- agree on a scheme or provide a listing of prod- ponents into carbon dioxide and water within 28 ucts that are acceptable for shipboard use and days. The substance of DfE and other products the quantity permitted on board. The evaluation could be any number of items, such as a cleaner/ criteria has to be based on toxicity to the aquatic degreaser, neutral cleaner, window cleaner, barge environment and be directed to cleaning products cleaning product, etc. that ? nd their way into the bilge and gray water.

However, to open another “can of worms,” The listing should include products such as products are often so altered by industry, that cleaning products, solvents, oils/lubes, etc. There questions arise as to whether a formulation of may be several levels of acceptability from poor components, which individually may be read- to great. Most importantly, products used would ily biodegradable, may continue to biodegrade be subject to evaluation at inspections and a to their natural state in 28 days or less. This is weight given to encourage the use of the least a much larger and more technical discussion/ar- toxic products.

gument than is appropriate here. Suf? ce to say Making changes now means getting ahead of that all aspects of the issue must be taken into potential incoming regulations. The projections consideration when looking to improve the true are for the shipping and cruise industries to con- viability of these purportedly “green” products. tinue to grow. As a collective, we need to take

The goal should be to qualify cleaning products greater steps, on our own initiative, to create a used aboard ship and the quantity stored, based cleaner, greener environment and foster more on their toxicity to the aquatic environment. social responsibility by urging this much needed

There is precedence for this kind of scheme. The change.

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquacul-

Note: The link for Cefas is: ture Science (Cefas) is a world leader in marine https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/centre-for- science and technology, providing innovative environment-? sheries-and-aquaculture-science solutions for the aquatic environment, biodiver- sity and food security. The Offshore Chemical

Noti? cation Scheme (OCNS) manages chemical

The Authors use and discharge by the UK and Netherlands

John Paparone is Principal of Environmental Solu- offshore petroleum industries. The area of focus tion, Inc., a veteran owned business that sells and is the North Sea.

distributes more than 30 EPA-approved products

The shipboard waste stream is part of a con- to marine and other industrial industries. tained gray water, system. The system essentially

Contact John at [email protected] holds this waste stream until arrival at port in

T: 919-940-0546 some cases, and it is pumped off to be treated www.totalbiosolution.com ashore. Or, where permitted, it is discharged into www.marinelink.com 113

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