Sun cream pollution from cruise ships

CRUISE ships are being blamed for a reported increase in pollution in Balearic waters, especially the discharge from the swimming pools. The draining of the pools have led to a total of six environmental pollution alerts in Palma since 2010, and the last of them was one July 8.  
The Ministry of Public Works confirmed last Thursday that these discharges caused oily residue in the water due to the large amount of cosmetics and sun creams which have ended up mixed with the water of the swimming pools. 
Once the vessel that caused the pollution has been detected, protocol requires an inspection to be carried out at the port. On all six of the reported incidents it apparently became clear that the swimming pools were the source of the contamination. 
In all the cases mentioned, after verifying that the discharges complied with the regulations the ships were permitted to continue their journey and were not sanctioned after the inspection in the port, according to information provided by the Ministry headed by José Luis Ábalos. 
The Ministry of Public Works has confirmed that all of the ships involved in such incidents were tourist cruise liners and that the water from swimming pools, showers, kitchens and the ship’s laundry was contributing to the concentration of harmful substances in the water, directly affecting Palma.