11. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE WASTE WITH NO DUSTBINS OR COLLECTION?
Used oil and waste water are drained to bilge tanks where they are stored until they can be released safely into the sea. Oily water separators are used to minimize pollution. There is very little solid waste. Solid galley (kitchen) waste is processed and canned before being released into the sea through a garbage ejector. Other waste from the galley and bathroom sinks is collected in a slop drains tank and pumped overboard or blown out by compressed air if the pump ever failed. Toilets (heads) are flushed to sanitary holding tanks by sea water.
The tanks contents are blown into the sea using compressed air. Usually, all tank blowing is done only once or twice a day because it makes a lot of noise. The submarine circles before diving deeper and heading off again leaving any tell-tale signs in one area only.
Releases at sea (discharges or ejection) can not take place in wartime because patches of oil and waste materials floating on the surface would give away the position and direction of the submarine to aircraft and ships so solid waste is ejected in weighted containers.
