Garbage

[JanetGroene]

MarkJ's comment about bulky cans hit my sore spot. So many things now come in cans that cannot be opened at both ends, so they can't be flattened for easy storage. When I called the company that makes cranberry sauce to comment about how easy it used to be to chill the can, open both ends and push the jelly through, all I got was a condescending speech about how to run a knife around the can and get the sauce out. Like I never thought of that. Like it works as well as the old way. It's clear manufacturers aren't going to help. When there is a choice, I choose cans that can be a take opener at either end. Open can, use product, open other end, stomp and stow. Added bonus: when cleaned out these tubes also come in handy for other things around the boat and they are easy to cut with tin snips when one needs metal stock.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

On our pacific trip Nicolle cut up all plastic so it laid flat and then into plastic shopping bags, then into the aft lazarette. That really reduced the size but is a time consuming method.

on a transpac, time is one thing which is not in short supply, eh, Mark?

[barnakiel]

First we unpack everything so that we do not take any packaging along.

Then:

Overboard: glass, metals.

Stored: plastics, paper (compacted), personal hygienics.

I think we had three bags of rubbish onboard when we got there, about 10 liters each. Two onboard.

I wonder what the island nations do with our garbage. I know some burn it.

b.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

......
I wonder what the island nations do with our garbage. I know some burn it.
b.

In central Tonga (Ha'apai group) any rubbish discarded by cruisers was carefully checked by locals for anything useful. All plastic drink bottles were kept for example, so crushing everything to compact it is not necessarily a good idea, as it makes it useless.

[delmarrey]

Here are the rules: Basic Boating Safety Course - The Marine Environment

And one is supposed to have a placardS in the boat with the rules posted in plan sight.

[sabray]

http://www.boatus.com/cleanwater/Arc...management.htm Also over 40 feet you are required to have a waste discharge plan. Obscure law that most probably arent doing.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

In central Tonga (Ha'apai group) any rubbish discarded by cruisers was carefully checked by locals for anything useful. All plastic drink bottles were kept for example, so crushing everything to compact it is not necessarily a good idea, as it makes it useless.

On Ha'avfeva we noticed the amount of ocean deposited rubbish to be about the average of other ocean states. Read huge. In this light I doubt our (non-existent) PET bottles could be of any use.

Now our PETs were non-existent as we do not buy any drinks in PET bottles, (except for 5 or 8 liter spring water bottles (but these we keep onboard and refill with shore water, when available)).

Rather than dump our rubbish on them, we shared our fishing lines, Mustad salt water hooks, pasta, rice and canned peaches. They shared their island, their dinner and their time.

Nice memories.

b.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

On Ha'avfeva we noticed the amount of ocean deposited rubbish to be about the average of other ocean states. Read huge. In this light I doubt our (non-existent) PET bottles could be of any use.

Now our PETs were non-existent as we do not buy any drinks in PET bottles, (except for 5 or 8 liter spring water bottles (but these we keep onboard and refill with shore water, when available)).

Rather than dump our rubbish on them, we shared our fishing lines, Mustad salt water hooks, pasta, rice and canned peaches. They shared their island, their dinner and their time.

Nice memories.

b.

Things may have changed, it is a while since I was there.

Yes, lovely sharing things . Fish hooks and coloured pencils and crayons for the kids.
They were soooo very laid back and happy. It was eye opening at a time when my life was running on overdrive!

[bouncingyellow]

After reading thru all the posts it's pretty clear that plastic is the biggest headache with regards to storing and disposal. My girlfriend loves her soft drink and I drink it too as a mixer and find most of my waste is empty soda bottles, well I just bought the new "soda stream" and hopefully it will dramatically cut down on my plastic waste.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by bouncingyellow

well I just bought the new "soda stream" and hopefully it will dramatically cut down on my plastic waste.

Take extra soda stream cylinders as they are difficult to buy outside the USA, in cruising countries.

On the long passages we cut plastic into flat strips etc to reduce space.

And I never pay some kid to take my garbage! They take the momeny and dump the trash behind some tree or into the water!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

In central Tonga (Ha'apai group) any rubbish discarded by cruisers was carefully checked by locals for anything useful. All plastic drink bottles were kept for example, so crushing everything to compact it is not necessarily a good idea, as it makes it useless.

A guy over here has built a house using plastic bottles... looks great
Filled the bottles with sand then mortared them together bottom out...

[Crimea Cruiser]

I know everybody wants to reduce space and get rid of empty containers during course of journeys, but if it came with you, then you had the space from the start to store it. I try to withhold depositing refuse on small islands and save for mainlands or larger islands where there are adequate facilities. Pre-planning purchases and packaging seems to be best deterrent to building up excess refuse that needs land disposal.
I have guilt bringing my refuse to dump on some small island without resources for handling it. Prefer the fish hooks and crayons deposit instead as mentioned prior.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by boatman61

A guy over here has built a house using plastic bottles... looks great
Filled the bottles with sand then mortared them together bottom out...

Wow. Nicely done.

[cruise]

When I brought my boat it came with a built in compactor, something I have never seen on another boat but I use it and love it crushes my rubbish right up

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by kirkalittle

Ok, I'm ready to hear why [burning plastics at sea] is a horrible thing to do!

1. release of carbon and toxins into the air
2. loss of a recoverable resource
3. you've taken 3 things (paper, foil, plastic), each of which is relatively simple to process and dispose of, or recycle, and after an unnecessary release of some toxins into the air, you are left with an un-recylable blob of plastic+foil+paper

It's not the worst thing ever... but it's worse (and more effort) than simply saving the plastic for later recycling.