Inland navigation is an environmentally friendly and promising transport mode. However, waste generated due to ship operation and life on board needs to be disposed of properly. If ship waste is not treated and disposed of correctly, precious ecosystems and essential natural resources are threatened.
Environmentally sound handling of ship waste
Avoiding pollution of soil, air and water requires an environmentally sound handling of ship wastes in accordance with the following principles:
- Waste prevention whenever possible
- Recycling of waste whenever possible
- Environmentally friendly handling and disposal of non-recyclable waste
And this is how every captain, skipper and crew-member can contribute:
- Economical use of raw materials and resources
- Separate collection of recyclables and difficult wastes
- Keeping the amount of residual waste to an absolute minimum
Proper disposal reduces the risk for enviromental pollution and saves the river ecosystems, an important source of life.
International recommendations and Austrian national law require every shipmaster to properly dispose of any wastes generated on board!
More information on the topic of 'ship waste management' is also available on the online learning platform Ines Danube.