Reference News NetworkJuly 18 report "Garbage classification" is a hot word on the Internet that has dominated the screen recently. Soul-searching questions such as "What kind of garbage are you?" make people who can't handle garbage classification even more worried. In fact, as far as the troubles caused by garbage disposal are concerned, naval officers and soldiers who sail the ocean may be more empathetic. Let's talk about garbage disposal on warships during ocean voyages in combination with public reports and information.

The US Navy was once a "big emitter" of garbage

A large amount of garbage is generated during long-distance training of naval ships. It is obviously not advisable to pile all of it on the ship and wait for it to be processed after docking. Take the USS Roosevelt as an example. The ship has 5,500 crew members. When sailing in the ocean, it is like a mobile city. The garbage produced every day is not only large in quantity, but also very diverse in categories - kitchen waste, waste paper, plastic, metal, oil, paint, medical waste, etc. The "daily output" of kitchen waste alone is about 300 kilograms.

Space on warships is extremely limited and precious, and no waste is allowed. In addition, in such a small and confined space on a warship, the smell of garbage piled up will make the crew members who are already in difficult conditions unbearable.

In an interview with the media, an old crew member of a US aircraft carrier said that the garbage disposal method of US Navy ships was very rough before the 1980s - directly packing and throwing all into the sea. Considering the size and mission positioning of the US Navy, it has long been called the "big emitter" of garbage in the global navy.

Data picture: US Navy aircraft carrier crew members are handling garbage on board. (Picture from the Internet)

Data picture: US Navy crew members are handling garbage. (Picture from the Internet)

Casually discarded plastic, metal garbage and some toxic waste (various oils, fuels, paints, medical waste, etc.) cause serious pollution to the marine environment, so the US Navy has long been criticized by environmentalists and related organizations. For example, in the Arctic Ocean, the dumping of garbage by US and allied warships has endangered the local environment and animal survival. Reports of polar bears rummaging through the garbage discarded by passing warships have appeared in the newspapers many times. Environmental experts point out that it may take hundreds of years to clear the current garbage pollution in the Arctic.

In addition, littering may trigger potential security threats-for example, in sea areas with complex enemy situations, littering may expose one's own whereabouts to the enemy. In the past 20 years, the US Navy has also begun to gradually pay attention to the problem of garbage disposal during ocean voyages. Today, US warships are equipped with various types of garbage disposal equipment such as garbage compressors and solid plastic crushers, and strict and detailed regulations have been made on garbage classification and disposal methods.

The service personnel on the USS Roosevelt once introduced to the media the garbage disposal work on an ordinary day on the aircraft carrier: kitchen waste, paper, cardboard and other degradable materials are directly discharged into the sea after treatment, totaling about more than 400 kilograms. About 410,000 gallons of wastewater (water for washing, showering, toilets, etc.) can be directly discharged into the sea (1 gallon is about 3.79 liters). Waste oil, fuel, paint, etc. are sealed and stored in barrels, about 55 gallons. Metal waste is compressed and sealed and stored, about 1,000 kilograms. Supply ships will regularly transport the garbage stored on warships, and some of the recycled garbage will be processed into benches, picnic tables, etc. in the park to continue to play a role.

Data picture: Chinese naval sailors are using a shipboard kitchen waste treatment device. (Picture from the Internet)

The Chinese Navy has a "magic weapon" for garbage disposal

As the Chinese Navy moves towards the deep blue, the number of ship long-distance training and various ocean-going missions is increasing, so how do our warships solve the garbage disposal problem? The People's Liberation Army Daily has reported on this many times in recent years - "Garbage classification and treatment, although it seems very ordinary, is actually a "technical job". Although it may not look as impressive as wielding guns and cannons on the surface, it is related to the connotation and quality of an army, and it shows an "international style." When the Chinese Navy escort fleet berthed at a foreign port, it was praised by port staff for its proper garbage classification and treatment.

According to the People's Liberation Army Daily, the Chinese Navy's ships have specially formulated the "Regulations on the Treatment of Garbage at Sea", which have strict and detailed treatment regulations for various types of garbage. The ship will be equipped with two sets of garbage treatment equipment, one set is specifically used to treat degradable food waste, and the other set is used to treat plastic products and metal waste that are not easily degradable. It is these professional "artifacts" that ensure the scientific and thorough treatment of garbage on board.

How powerful are these garbage treatment "artifacts"? The People's Liberation Army Daily once introduced a device called the shipboard food waste treatment device. After the kitchen waste is put in, it is crushed, dehydrated and dried, and the sewage is discharged into the sewage tank at the bottom of the ship. The dry goods are dried by microwaves, disinfected and sterilized, and become colorless and odorless powder. It can be stored for 3 months without special treatment. Take 30 kg of kitchen waste as an example. After being processed by this device, only about 2.5 kg of dry powder is left.

With strict and meticulous management and the blessing of advanced processing equipment, naval ships are becoming a model for marine garbage disposal, and a cleaner cabin environment and scientific and effective garbage disposal methods also provide important support for the army to maintain morale and ensure combat effectiveness. (Text/Dong Lei)

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