Good day! Have you ever wondered about all of the trash that is produced on a large research ship like the JOIDES Resolution? Today, I’m going to tell you about it.

There are 122 people on board, many science labs, galley (food area), and ship equipment that all create waste or trash. Since food is biodergradable, (it breaks down and nature recycles it), leftover food can be thrown over the side of the ship. That is one of the reasons we were visited by sharks earlier in the expedition. They see the food as a restaurant! Paper, cardboard, etc. is burned in an incinerator toward the rear of the ship. The engines and other machinery generate waste oil, which is treated, and burned in a separate incinerator. We can’t burn everything, so that is why we have recycle bins all around the ship. Collection bins hold metals, hard plastic, etc. until the ship reaches port. The JOIDES Resolution takes environmental awareness seriously, after all we study the environment!