Using Microwaves To Cook Ballast Stowaways 186
Smivs writes "US researchers say they have developed an effective way to kill unwanted plants and animals that hitch a ride in the ballast waters of cargo vessels. Tests showed that a continuous microwave system was able to remove all marine life within the water tanks. The UN lists 'invasive species' dispersed by ballast water discharges as one of the four main threats to the world's marine ecosystems. For example European zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have infested more than 40% of the US's inland waterways. Between 1989 and 2000, up to $1B is estimated to have been spent on controlling the spread of the alien invader."
Might as well get used to it (Score:3, Insightful)
Invasive species? (Score:2, Insightful)
Mussels?! (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Too little too late (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Mussels?! (Score:0, Insightful)
Dump lots of toxic waste into the water. Problem solved.
Re:Might as well get used to it (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Too little too late (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Too little too late (Score:4, Insightful)
The great lakes were dying from pollution before the zebra mussels.
At least the water that goes downstream is cleaner than it would be otherwise.
Hey, when life hands you a lemon ...
Re:The Fail Boat (Score:3, Insightful)
He's simply arguing that the mistake highlights a risk (and an inconvenience) which may be avoided by the mechanism described in TFA, while still addressing the problems which necessitate the ballast dumping in the first place.
(Whether or not the proposed mechanism is, in fact, adequate, feasible, or ultimately desirable/undesirable in a global deployment is, however, beyond the scope of this particular facet of the discussion).
Re:Too little too late (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Too little too late (Score:1, Insightful)