Show J 1 Ocean Dumping Reprint from Crom Conservation Conserva I tion lion News an educational service of the National Wildlife Wildlife Wildlife Wild Wild- life Federation I The mid-August mid furor over dumping several hundred tons of nerve gas off the Florida coast overlooked the fact that the United States has been using the oceans for years as a trash can for noxious wastes THIS FACT was highlighted later that same month when the Navy dumped several tons of surplus TNT off the Maryland Marand coast I Originally it was planned to drop the explosive off the coast of New Jersey at the spot where mustard gas had been dum dumped ped three years before before be be- fore WHEN THAT fact became public knowledge the dumping dumping dumping dump dump- ing site was shifted Good thing too since ships five miles mUes away felt the explosion when hen the TNT hit bottom But surplus military weapons ons and explosives arent aren't the only things the U. U S. S has been pouring into the sea at the rate of 48 million tons per year INCLUDED in that ghastly disposal are sulfuric acid arsel arsenic c cyanides mercury and other heavy metals pesticides refuse- refuse from municipal sewage to plastics and cannery wastes radioactive wastes chemical warfare agents construction and demolition debris and various rejected or contaminated contaminated mated products from foodstuffs foodstuffs foodstuffs food food- stuffs to appliances The ocean off the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico are dotted with dumping sites where the throw-away throw society has cast poisons and problems problems problems lems in the belief that out of sight is truly out of mind Tins ATTITUDE underwent brief re revision sn last winter r when h I it was discovered that the ocean off New York harbor where the city had been dumping its sludge was dead Dead Not dying dead Scientists studying the content content content con con- tent of bottom sediment in inthe inthe inthe the area were horrified A bottom sample from one station included cellulose ose cigarette filter tips band aids and aluminum foil THE SAME items have been found in the stomachs of fish Oxygen in the water in the dumping area was found to tobe tobe tobe be less than one part per million A concentration of 25 is usually considered essential for marine life In fact nothing live was found And even a clam with a snorkel would have to contend contend contend con con- tend with excessive concentrations concentrations concentrations of lead copper copper copper cop cop- per 60 GO and chromium 4 40 not to mention everyone's favorite pesticide DDT THESE FIGURES were recorded recorded recorded re re- re- re corded at Station 59 in the dumping in area-in the open ocean 10 miles south of Rockaway Rockaway Rockaway Rock- Rock away Inlet nine miles due east of Sandy Hook What is most disturbing about the extent and variety of dumping is that so little is yet known about the effect of sludge chemicals poisons and junk on the marine en en- THERE IS some evidence that materials break down very slowly on the ocean bot bot- tom There is considerable evidence evidence evidence evi evi- evi- evi dence that marine organisms can concentrate pesticides poisons or radioactive wastes in their systems to a point that can kill a man if he eats them BUT IGNORANCE of effects and conditions is so great that caution particularly arly in light of such evidence as that found at Station 59 ought to be the rule at the moment |