Reducing sewage pollution in the Antarctic marine environment using a sewage treatment plant

• Published in: Marine Pollution Bulletin
• Main Author: Hughes, Kevin A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Elsevier 2004
• Subjects: Marine Sciences; Ecology and Environment; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Rothera; Adelaide Island; Rothera Research Station; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/12206/; http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X04001869

Despite Antarctica being the largest pristine wilderness on Earth, many coastal Antarctic research stations release untreated sewage waste into the marine environment, which may have negative effects on local wildlife. In February 2003 a sewage treatment plant was installed at Rothera Research Station (Adelaide Island, Antarctic Peninsula). After one year of operation the sewage treatment plant had dramatically reduced the microbiological pollution in the near-shore marine environment around the outfall and seawater quality conformed to European Union Bathing Water Standards.