What do you throw overboard?

AntarcticPilot said:
As we mainly sail in the Clyde. we too try and take everything home - except perhaps a few food scraps. But just to add to the Melon skin thing, I remember being told (when I was a lad) that orange peel does not decompose readily. We were always told to take it home when walking, as it wouldn't rot even if buried.
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I was told, that orange peel in the Med, lasted 20 years.
Not sure if that was degradation, or the time to flush back into the Atlantic.
Even apple cores take a long time to dissappear.
 
alant said:
Even apple cores take a long time to dissappear.
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Where does this sort of rubbish come from? You think an apple core would have time to even start to degrade with all the various marine life about? Even the core of an apple is edible and very attractive to all sorts of life, if you don't believe me the learn to dive and try it :) next time you read about how long things take to degrade just take a moment to ponder the agenda of the person who said/wrote it.
 
Yeah yeah, trees should be fitted with leaf catchers, in case the leaves land in a burn, and then into the sea.
 
lustyd said:
Where does this sort of rubbish come from? You think an apple core would have time to even start to degrade with all the various marine life about? Even the core of an apple is edible and very attractive to all sorts of life, if you don't believe me the learn to dive and try it :) next time you read about how long things take to degrade just take a moment to ponder the agenda of the person who said/wrote it.
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Hear, hear hear. A voice of sanity at last.
 
haydude said:
The most I have spent at sea were five days, even in that case we have taken all the rubbish with us. For convenience we had a black bin bag hanging over the transom on the bathing platform. Once the galley's bin was full it was moved in there. Once arrived we disposed of the rubbish using the marina facilities. I would have felt bad dumping anything in the sea whilst watched by the dolphins following, or even when not there knowing that it was their habitat.
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+1
 
What do you mean 'at last' see my post #8 something like 'lots of hungry mouths to feed' ;) but I also wonder why people believe such self-evident bllx! (replying to grumpybear)
 
alant said:
I was told, that orange peel in the Med, lasted 20 years.
Not sure if that was degradation, or the time to flush back into the Atlantic.
Even apple cores take a long time to dissappear.
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http://www.blueoceansociety.org/Education/education.html

"How Long Does it Take to Break Down in the Marine Environment?
Newspaper ...............6 weeks
Apple Core ...............2 months
Cotton Rope..............1 year
Cigarette butt...........1-15 years*
Plastic bag................10-20 years*
Fishing nets..............30-40 years
Tin can/ Batteries.......100 years*
Aluminum Soda Can ....80-200 years*
Plastic bottle .............450 years*
Fishing line ...............600 years*
Glass bottle................1 million years*
* = Item often found at beach cleanups
Sources: Mote Marine Lab, National Park Service"

http://www.thatdanny.com/2008/06/06...a-plastic-bag-or-a-glass-bottle-to-decompose/
 
alant said:
http://www.blueoceansociety.org/Education/education.html

"How Long Does it Take to Break Down in the Marine Environment?
Aluminum Soda Can ....80-200 years*
Glass bottle................1 million years*
* = Item often found at beach cleanups
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Who cares how long it takes to degrade if it's intrinsically harmless (including aesthetically so)? On the surface, yes, they're an eyesore and even a danger. But with the tiniest bother ally cans sink, so do bottles, and there's very little tourism below 500metres.

Incidentally, any idea where I can source some of this ally which is only 0.1mm thick yet lasts 200 years at sea. I want to build a boat out of it.
 
It's hard to know the relative damage when putting certain items in a bin compared to going overboard. The extra pollution from transporting rubbish from marina bins, the resulting damage caused when burnt or dumped into land-fill etc etc..

I am all in favour of packaging being reduced as much as possible. Especially when provisioning a yacht it is good to leave all the unnecessary extras at the supermarket.

Pete
 
I understood that there was a regulation banning the disposal of any food waste in the North Sea,( unless it has been through something like a 1/2" sieve). We changed our policy to comply with this many years ago and have never found it difficult. As usual, people will adopt an attitude on the possibility of harm to suit their convenience.
 
johnalison said:
I understood that there was a regulation banning the disposal of any food waste in the North Sea,( unless it has been through something like a 1/2" sieve). We changed our policy to comply with this many years ago and have never found it difficult. As usual, people will adopt an attitude on the possibility of harm to suit their convenience.
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There are conveniences in the North Sea? :eek:
 
All the stuff (apart from the odd fish) came on the boat at the start of the passage. most of the contents have been eaten, so the bulk of all these containers and wrapping is tiny compared with the original full containers. Trail smelly stuff in a net to wash it, then crush and bag up. Glass bottles are a bit bulky, so buy the beer in cans whenever possible. No brainer ...
 
alant said:
http://www.blueoceansociety.org/Education/education.html

"How Long Does it Take to Break Down in the Marine Environment?
Newspaper ...............6 weeks
Apple Core ...............2 months
Cotton Rope..............1 year
Cigarette butt...........1-15 years*
Plastic bag................10-20 years*
Fishing nets..............30-40 years
Tin can/ Batteries.......100 years*
Aluminum Soda Can ....80-200 years*
Plastic bottle .............450 years*
Fishing line ...............600 years*
Glass bottle................1 million years*
* = Item often found at beach cleanups
Sources: Mote Marine Lab, National Park Service"

http://www.thatdanny.com/2008/06/06...a-plastic-bag-or-a-glass-bottle-to-decompose/
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Who, other than the "blue ocean society" believes that newspaper lasts for six weeks, cigarette ends for one to fifteen years in the sea.
Overstating their case merely leads to derision.
 
prv said:
Oh, interesting. Thanks. Knew I'd seen something about the Channel on the posters in Stavros's garbage locker and galley pantry.

Pete
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Yeah the air pollution regulations also kick in just to the east of Falmouth which is why they do a great trade in supplying low sulphur bunkers to the ships heading up the channel.
 
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