The Environmental Protection Agency has fined Royal Caribbean International nearly $475,000 for failing to properly report alleged waste management and disposal.
The agency conducted an inspection in Galveston, Texas, where waste was reportedly offloaded from eight of the line’s ships at Pier 10, and later found that the company brought solid and hazardous waste into the country between July 2019 and July 2024.
“EPA alleged that RCL failed to review Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) 3010 notices, failed to submit accurate biennial reports, failed to maintain adequate records of hazardous waste determinations, failed to comply complied with land disposal restrictions for incinerator ash and failed to meet the obligations of a high volume producer,” the agency said in a news release.
According to the EPA, Royal Caribbean cooperated during the settlement process.
“The alleged claims resolved with the EPA were related to documentation errors and not environmental impacts,” a spokesperson for the line’s parent company, Royal Caribbean Group, told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. “Royal Caribbean Group has a long-standing commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. We remain committed to maintaining best environmental and waste management practices, which go above and beyond legal requirements.”
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The company must keep proper records of waste discharged and “accurately manifest” the amount of hazardous waste removed from ships at domestic ports as part of the settlement, the EPA said. Royal Caribbean must also ensure waste is separated according to RCRA regulations.
“In addition, RCL will update its Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) and submit them to EPA Region 6 for review,” the release said. “Further, this settlement also includes assessed penalties, which will ensure RCL’s timely compliance with the CAFO.” The company must meet these requirements within 180 days.
“This settlement reinforces our commitment to ensuring companies comply with critical RCRA regulations designed to protect our natural resources and public health from the hazards of hazardous waste,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Royal Caribbean fined nearly $475,000 by EPA for alleged waste violations
