Please don't flame me!

[martinwoolwich]

Please don\'t flame me!

As a newbie I cautiously ask...

What is black waste and what is grey waste.....sorry I'm sure it's very basic, I've come across these terms a couple of times and I'm just curious.

 

[Guest]

Re: Please don\'t flame me!

Black water is sh1t, grey is dishwater. Personally I think the grey is worse.

 

[Skyva_2]

Re: Please don\'t flame me!

No need to be cautious!

How can I put this tastefully?

Grey waste is what you might discharge down the galley sink, washing up etc.

Black waste is what you might discharge from the heads.

On Friday I had to get rid of bilge water with diesel fuel in it, after changing the filter. Don't know what you call that, but I got rid of it in the waste oil tank in the boat yard.
I recalled my most embarrassing moment when I did that for the first time - turned off the fuel tap at the tank, thinking it would stop the fuel flow when I took off the filter. Didn't know there was a return line, but found out after half filling a bucket with red diesel. Now I'm a lot faster replacing the new filter.....

Hope this helps.

Keith

 

[oldsaltoz]

Re: Please don\'t flush me!

G’day Martin.
Grey water (from your sink and shower etc) and Black water (sewage) are listed due to changes in the law with reference to environmental concerns.
Most countries are trying to clean up their waterways and you will find restrictions in place depending on your location. Some places accept older boats because they were constructed before the changes in legislation; others have a period that determines when you must install holding tanks by.
Most countries now have laws stating that any craft constructed after a given date ‘must have holding tanks installed’.

Avagoodweekend Old Salt Oz……

 

[byron]

Re: Please don\'t flame me!

Martin, as a side issue our (yours & mine) local River Inspector told me that more damage is done by tipping a way a half pint of milk (grey waste) than 5 gallons of raw sewage (black waste) and one of the worst things is grass clippings.

ô¿ô
My wife has not given me permission to express any opinion here

 

[Piers]

Re: Please don\'t flame me!

I agree - at least the sh1t is organic. Interestingly, in Holland last year, the river police made it clear that they didn't mind shIt in the water at all (except the swimmers might....) but there must be no - repeat no - detergent whatsoever. Hence the meed for a grey water tank, or even a manifold to direct what might have gone overboard from the sinks / shower / washing machine into the black water tank.

Piers du Pré
MBM Cruising Club enthusiast
www.dupre.co.uk/fsPlaydeau.htm

 

[tamise]

Re: Greymatter in Holland

Is this a law or something that they are trying to encourage? As we are planning to spend a month or so in the Dutch Inland Waters this summer I don't fancy being fined if it is a law. Should we make some adaptions to our current system which at the moment means shower water/washing up water goes straight into the river.Thanks

 

[coliholic]

Re: Greymatter in Holland

We were on the same cruise with Piers and it's really the detergent that they're worried about, so just makes sure you only use soap for washing etc. Oh and not nice at the best of times to flush "solids" through the loo in harbour anyway. I've got a sort of rule on our boat. Liquids only in the loo, unless REALLY desperate. We don;t have a holding tank on our boat and never had a problem, but then to be fair no-one asked us either. Think you'll be OK.

Oh and charts etc, much cheaper to buy them there. There's a good chandler in Vlissingen that will sell them to you, so I'm told and I'm sure you can get that far on UK charts. The Dutch folio charts are very good and clear and in English too.

You still haven't told us what boat and what route you're planning. C'mon tell all.

 

[LORDNELSON]

Re: Greymatter in Holland

Thats a very useful post. We plan to go through Holland to the Frisian Isalnds this year in our Southerly 115 ("Dulcibella II") and I wonder if, not use detergents, what you do about washing up etc. Obviously one can go ashore to do major washing up, showers etc., but there will be a perceived need to wash up some things as one goes along. Can one buy pure soap replacements for detergent in Holland?

 

[coliholic]

Re: Greymatter in Holland

It's a good excuse to eat out a lot. And if you'd tasted my wife's cooking, you'd know why I suggest that;-)

 

[kingfisher]

Re: Greymatter in Holland

Dumping grey waste in the water is not forbidden in Holland. But try to get your hands on som eenvironmental friendly soap products. Gives you a clean concience as wel.

Obi-Wan
http://sirocco31.tripod.com

 

[tamise]

Re: Greymatter in Holland

I think I'll do that, thanks. We all need reminding about the consequences of thoughtless waste, occasionally.

 

[byron]

Re: Greymatter in Holland

I have printed that off to show your Missus when I meet her.

ô¿ô

 

[graham]

I didnt know either.

Martin , Greetings, After 35 years as a yachtsman I knew grey waste was sink/basin waste. But have never ventured to ask what the heads discharge was referred to as .

Well done mate dont be timid ask away so we all may learn.

 

[Piers]

Re: Greymatter in Holland

Knowing how strong the comments were from the Dutch authorities last year, I would suggest that legislation is on the way.

Therefore, to prevent potential 'difficulties', I would make sure that no detergent (or more precisely, nothing that could look like soap bubbles) came from my boat.

My wife has just found a soap that claims not to have any detergent in at at all - purely organic - and which does not bubble, and although it would solve the prolem, guess what - it's much more expensive!

One thought though, I suspect if the authorities became somewhat jumpy about anything that remotely looks like detergent, it might be hard explaining the soap you are using is organic....

My (planned) next boat does not have a grey water tank, but does have one for black water. To cope with the problem, I will have valves installed to divert washing machine outflow to this tank rather than overboard.

IMHO, we need to bear in mind detergent causes problems, and try to find ways to minimise our use of it, certainly before legislation forces us to do so.

Meanwhile, if it means detergent free soap, and washing clothes ashore and so on, so be it.

Piers du Pré
MBM Cruising Club enthusiast
www.dupre.co.uk/fsPlaydeau.htm

 

[LORDNELSON]

Re: Greymatter in Holland

I would be grateful if you could name the enviromentally friendly soap and where purchased. Thanks. Barry

 

[Piers]

Re: Greymatter in Holland

The source we had was from Lakeland Ltd's catalogue. Look at

http://www.lakelandlimited.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/GBP/ParametricSearch-Continue/1583642266;$sid$fj8hPTyjI3-FlpLz0F4C0reEkzv28IFj?action=paging&PageableName=Products&PageNumber=1

where some of the products include Lavender wool mix, Mitchell's wool-fat soap and so on.

Also, if you type in non-detergent soap into the Google search engine (google.com) a large choice comes up.

Piers du Pré
MBM Cruising Club enthusiast
www.dupre.co.uk/fsPlaydeau.htm