CCL-Carnival Cruise Line highlighted its environmental efforts on Earth Day by recognizing the company's "industry leadership and a significant reduction in food waste" since the restart of passenger operations.
As CCL nears the restart of its full fleet of ships, it becomes the first major brand to employ bio-digesters across its operation, with the intention of "lawfully discharging only processed food waste."
CCL installed 200+ bio-digesters so every ship sailing is fully-equipped for the Galley/kitchen crew to use them. A total of 22 CCL ships are now serving passengers and Splendor’s restart on May 2 is expected to complete the return of the full 23-ship fleet.
The bio-digesters are enclosed containers converting food waste into liquid at an accelerated rate, breaking down 99% of the food put into them, with only a fine, silt-like material remaining. By utilizing beneficial microorganisms, plus oxygen/warm water, digesters process anything that can be consumed by a human.
The Renovare Environmental Company BioHiTech America supplied many of the digesters for Carnival. On Carnival Mardi Gras alone, 14 digesters onboard can process ~142,000 pounds of food waste per week. Renovare Environmental estimates ~94 million pounds will be digested across the entire fleet by the end of 2022.
Current maritime regulations don't require food waste to be processed and prohibit discharge at sea within 12 nautical miles from land, making the new practice of Carnival to utilize bio-digesters ahead of the cruise industry standard.