Cruise Corporation Fined $20 Million for Alleged Pollution Violations
One of the largest cruise corporations in the world has reached a settlement with Federal prosecutors, agreeing to pay $20 million for illegally dumping plastics in the ocean near the Bahamas among other violations.
As part of the settlement that was announced June 3, the cruise company agrees to appoint a chief compliance officer, whose primary role is to ensure the company follows EPA regulations moving forward. The company must also reduce the use of single-use plastics by 50% across its 105-ship fleet and reduce its total food waste by 10% by 2022.
This comes after the company allegedly violated its probation from a 2016 settlement for similar environmental crimes.
In 2016, the company was convicted on seven felony charges, including violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, conspiracy, and obstruction for allegedly dumping gray water, water that has been contaminated with grease, fat, food particles, and wastewater from its ships’ bilge. The gray water was allegedly dumped in protected areas, such as Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park.
In that settlement, the company was fined $40 million, the largest US criminal penalty ever for intentional vessel pollution.
Need more in-depth training? The 2019 nationwide schedule for the Complete Environmental Regulations Workshop is now available. Collaborate with other managers to identify the requirements that apply to your facility, ask the right questions, and make the right decisions about EPA compliance.
As part of the settlement that was announced June 3, the cruise company agrees to appoint a chief compliance officer, whose primary role is to ensure the company follows EPA regulations moving forward. The company must also reduce the use of single-use plastics by 50% across its 105-ship fleet and reduce its total food waste by 10% by 2022.
This comes after the company allegedly violated its probation from a 2016 settlement for similar environmental crimes.
In 2016, the company was convicted on seven felony charges, including violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, conspiracy, and obstruction for allegedly dumping gray water, water that has been contaminated with grease, fat, food particles, and wastewater from its ships’ bilge. The gray water was allegedly dumped in protected areas, such as Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park.
In that settlement, the company was fined $40 million, the largest US criminal penalty ever for intentional vessel pollution.
Know the Water Regs Before the Next Inspection
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Tags: Clean Water Act, cruise, environmental, EPA, EPA Enforcement, ocean pollution, pollution
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