Exceeding Environmental Standards

DEC Cruise Ship Program Protects Alaska’s Air and Water

Norwegian Bliss pulls into dock in Juneau.

By Larry Hartig

Each year over a million visitors travel to Alaska on cruise ships, which are essentially floating resorts. As you’d expect from any resort, they generate waste, including wastewater from laundries, bathrooms, and food preparation and engine exhaust. How we treat this waste has changed over the years in response to new federal, state and local requirements, as well the growth of ships and technological advances. It is a constantly evolving process that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) takes seriously: we work with vessel owners, federal and local partners to protect Alaska’s air and water.

First, the basics: permitting. Visiting cruise ships must carry permits from DEC and the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as approval from the U.S. Coast Guard to discharge wastewater into the ocean. In combination, these permits and approvals have strong requirements, comparable to a seafood processor or a city’s waste treatment plant. Under the DEC permit, if a ship plans to discharge wastewater into Alaska’s waters, they must abide by the most stringent requirements to prevent the spread of bacteria, using advanced wastewater treatment systems that represent the best available technology. The EPA has two general nationwide permits for large and small vessels for the kinds of wastewater not covered by specific state and federal requirements, like swimming pools, boilers, deck washing, exhaust gas scrubbers, and other sources.

We also work to protect Alaska’s air, so DEC regulates smoke emissions from cruise ships. In 2008, the U.S. adopted an international standard designed to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide from large ships: the amount of sulfur allowed dropped in 2010, and again in 2015. Ship owners have been working with the EPA to meet these new standards, including switching to low-sulfur fuel and installing “scrubbers” to “wash out” the sulfur in exhaust fumes before it leaves the stack. But that produces a new waste stream — scrubber wastewater. Ships already have to comply with federal regulations that cover it, and because the technology is new, we’re in the process of including it in Alaska’s permitting structure, too. That should happen next year.

But as a number of people in Southeast Alaska have observed this summer, the wastewater discharges and air emissions from some of the large cruise ships have changed. The wastewater from the scrubbers can contain a lot of bubbles, and look “frothy.” It sometimes has higher acidity. From discoloration and sheens to unknown residues, we’re examining the cause and looking for solutions.

People in Juneau have also been noting changes in the appearance and odor of the air emissions from some of the cruise ships. The changes could be the result of a combination of issues such as added water vapor from the scrubbers, the water vapor cooling the exhaust, or the scrubbers not reducing particulate matter. Although scrubbers are relatively new, the DEC regulations for opacity or “smoke” remain unchanged. We continue to measure emissions, check in with the cruise lines to find solutions when problems are identified, and carry out enforcement when necessary.

There’s also more information on the web at: http://dec.alaska.gov/water/cruise-ships/.

Larry Hartig is the former Commissioner, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

ship control room — CLIA Alaska conducted an environmental ship tour in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, during Seatrade aboard the Koningsdam. Roger Walker, far right, the Koningsdam’s Environmental Officer, led the tour, explaining operations through the Engine Control Room, recycling and wastewater treatment system areas. From left to right: Ralph Samuels, Holland America Group; Tandy Bondi, Carnival North America, LLC; Catharine Montgomery, CLIA; Sarah Kennedy, CLIA; Paul Goodwin, Holland America Group, CLIA Alaska Chairman; and Walker.

Alaska has some of the most stringent environmental standards in the world. In addition, cruise lines have voluntarily adopted higher standards than those required by state and federal law, and have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on environmental upgrades in recent years. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) member lines have worked closely with federal and state regulators, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies to ensure Alaska’s waters and air stay safe and clean.

Most recently, the cruise industry has invested more than half-a-billion dollars in the development of new exhaust gas-cleaning technology to exceed federal air emissions regulations imposed on ships operating within 200 miles of the North American coastline. Furthermore, CLIA members have stopped using single-use plastics on their vessels. To review CLIA’s 2019 Evaluation of Cruise Industry Global Environmental Practices and Performance, click here.

Industry constantly improving

Worldwide, cruise industry wastewater and air emissions are socially responsible based on existing regulatory schemes, existing technology and the industry’s self- regulated practices, and are improving through continuous innovation by cruise lines.

Wastewater treatment & permits

Cruise ships discharge water that is treated to some of the world’s most stringent standards. Michelle Bonnet Hale, former director of the Division of Water in the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), said it would be a step backward to require ships to hook up to community-based systems, as some have suggested. “Ironically, the discharge limits on the cruise ships are more stringent than those of the community systems. Cruise ship effluent is cleaner.”