Carnival Cruise Line says it has become the first major cruise line to employ bio-digesters across its entire operation, with the intention of discharging only processed food waste.
Carnival has installed more than 200 bio-digesters so every ship sailing is fully-equipped for galley crew to use them. Currently, 22 of the 23 Carnival ships are sailing, and the return of Carnival Splendor on May 2 will complete the restart.
A bio-digester is an enclosed container that converts food waste into liquid at an accelerated rate - breaking down 99% of the food put into it, with only a fine, silt-like material remaining.
Utilizing microorganisms, oxygen and warm water, digesters can process anything that can be consumed by a human.
BioHiTech America, a Renovare Environmental Company, supplied many of the digesters for the Carnival fleet. On Carnival Mardi Gras alone, 14 digesters on board can process about 142,000 pounds of food waste each week. Renovare Environmental estimates as much as 94 million pounds will be digested across the entire Carnival fleet by the end of the year.
Without bio-digesters, millions of pounds of unprocessed food waste would otherwise be lawfully discharged into the ocean as allowed by maritime law. Current maritime regulations do not require food waste to be processed and only prohibit discharge at sea within 12 nautical miles from land, making Carnival's new practice of utilizing bio-digesters ahead of the industry standard.
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