Planet Of The Year: Waste A Stinking Mess

THE PROBLEM: Throwaway societies befoul their land and seas

Like the journey of the spectral Flying Dutchman, the legendary ship condemned to ply the seas endlessly, the voyage of the freighter Pelicano seemed destined to last forever. For more than two years, it sailed around the world seeking a port that would accept its cargo. Permission was denied and for good reason: the Pelicano's hold was filled with 14,000 tons of toxic incinerator ash that had been loaded onto the ship in Philadelphia in September 1986. It was not until last October that the Pelicano brazenly dumped 4,000 lbs. of its unwanted cargo off a Haitian beach, then slipped back...

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