Foreign Garbage

Accepting waste materials originating in another country is contrary to local and regional waste reduction goals. Cruise ships waste should be returned to the port of origin.

Foreign garbage from cruise ships comprises liquid and solid wastes.  Liquid waste includes blackwater (sewage), grey water (from sinks, showers, laundry), oily bilge water, and hazardous liquids. Toxic scrubber waste may be off-loaded.  Solid waste includes garbage and organics, hazardous wastes like oily rags, recyclable goods such as metals, glass bottles, cardboard, electronics, light fixtures, paints, exercise equipment, and furnishings such as furniture, mattresses and carpets. Construction waste, including wood and concrete, may be off-loaded.

Given the lack of transparency, Fair Sailing’s initial tonnage estimates of solid and liquid wastes being offloaded at Ogden Point were high. In 2022, Tymac reported that they took 2,082 tonnes of international high and low risk solid wastes to Hartland landfill and transported 5,204 tonnes of recyclable materials to various recycling facilities, mostly off-island. There is still no information on the amounts of liquid and hazardous wastes received at Ogden Point. 

Large industrial trucks transporting an estimated 10,000 tonnes of solid and liquid waste materials drive through residential James Bay streets every year to various unknown locations on Vancouver Island and the mainland. The trucks cause wear and tear on the roads, lead to traffic congestion, generate noise, pose safety risks to pedestrians and cyclists, carry the potential for major spills of hazardous materials, and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. 

FOREIGN GARBAGE ACTIONS NEEDED

• No foreign garbage, recyclables and other waste materials

• Cease landing of cruise ship waste materials in Victoria (except for goods locally sourced)

• Return all solid and liquid waste, including recyclables, organics, and hazardous materials to port-of-origin