Posted on: Monday, May 14, 2001

Editorial
Cruise ship dumping: Take note of Alaska

With cruise ships crowding its inland waters, Alaska is leading a movement to clean up what has become a global concern: the discharge of millions of gallons of highly contaminated wastewater from luxury vessels.

It used to be that a ship at sea threw whatever it didn't need or want overboard without a second thought. It was a big ocean.

No longer. Alaska's monitoring of cruise ships in its waters found 79 of the 80 samples it took failed to meet federal standards. We're talking high levels of fecal bacteria and even dangerous heavy metals.

Alaska's governor is pushing legislation that would be more stringent than federal or international standards. California, Washington, Florida and the Caribbean are looking to Alaska for a model.

Hawai'i should, too.

Hawai'i lags Alaska by several years in cruise ship development, but signs are the industry is growing by leaps and bounds now.

Cruise passengers "come to Alaska to see incredible vistas, clean water, unparalleled marine habitat," said Alaska's Gov. Tony Knowles in calling his state's lawmakers into special session to win passage of his legislation.

Sound familiar? Don't we hope to show off the same sort of thing — except warmer weather — to cruise passengers here?

Hawai'i has been somewhat backward in developing its cruise industry. The cruise lines are hoping the state will invest in upgrades of harbor facilities.

This we should do — but in exchange for assurances that the cruise ships using our ports enhance our attractions, instead of polluting them.

Hawai'i lawmakers should introduce legislation based on the Alaska model in the next session.