WWF calls for ship waste ban in the Baltic
WWF, the global conservation organization, is calling on shipping companies operating in the Baltic to protect the marine environment and voluntarily commit to a ban on all dumping of polluted wastewater into the sea. According to WWF, cruise ships and ferries operating in the Baltic Sea carry up to 80 million passengers annually. Wastewater released from vessels into the Baltic each year contains up to 460 tons of nitrogen and 150 tons of phosphorus, contributing to toxic algae bloom and degradation of water quality. In June, 2007, WWF will publish a list of the companies that have agreed to the voluntary ban.