New requirements for ballast water dumped by ships

(AP)—The Environmental Protection Agency has issued new requirements for cleansing ballast water dumped from ships, which scientists believe has brought invasive species to U.S. waters that damage ecosystems and cost the economy billions of dollars.

A general permit released Thursday will apply to longer than 79 feet. It requires them to meet international standards for treating , which keeps ships stable in rough seas. The Coast Guard adopted similar requirements last year.

Ships could meet the standards by installing equipment that cleanses the water with chemicals or uses other methods to kill organisms.

The EPA says studies by its science advisory board endorsed the standards. But environmental groups say they're too weak to prevent more invasive species from slipping into the Great Lakes and coastal waterways.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Citation: New requirements for ballast water dumped by ships (2013, March 29) retrieved 19 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2013-03-requirements-ballast-dumped-ships.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Fighting ecological invaders efficiently

0 shares

Feedback to editors