A cruise ship giant paid a price for failing to meet its waste reporting requirements.

What's happening?

Royal Caribbean allegedly violated multiple industry regulations and was fined $473,685 by the Environmental Protection Agency in a settlement agreement, Houston Public Media reported. The company did not accurately notify the EPA of how much waste it was generating and offloading or "adequately describe the wastes it was offloading," the outlet stated.

The statutes were enforced under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Royal Caribbean called the problems "documentation errors," according to HPM.

Eight ships were cited by the government for offloading solid waste and hazardous waste one or more times since 2019 at the Port of Galveston in Texas. Seven of them exceeded the limit of 1,000 kilograms at least once per month, with a fine of $25,000 for each offense. The company was also cited and fined for other violations, including failure to file accurate biennial reports and failure to keep adequate records to support hazardous waste determinations.

In 1999, Royal Caribbean paid $18 million for 21 felony counts of dumping waste oil and hazardous chemicals as well as lying to the U.S. Coast Guard. It paid $9 million in 1998 for similar criminal acts.

Why is this important?

Governments try to hold corporations accountable for harmful practices, especially when they are accompanied by misleading and even fraudulent claims about how sustainable certain business practices are.

This is known as "greenwashing," and it helps companies profit from unaware consumers to the detriment of the environment, our health, and more. In this case, Royal Caribbean dodged admitting guilt for its actions, and it told HPM in a statement that it was committed to environmental sustainability and stewardship and "best-in-class" waste management practices.

"Waste management is an important aspect of environmental protection," EPA regional administrator Earthea Nance said. "Improper waste management practices can lead to environmental and community challenges for decades."

What's being done about Royal Caribbean's pollution?

The nature of the industry — in which oil, sewage, and more are deposited in the ocean, and bigger and bigger ships are encouraged — means it will be difficult, if not impossible, to rein in the waste.

Royal Caribbean has 180 days to fix its documentation procedures and notify the EPA of its new methods.

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