2 ms·
Why exactly was incineration not allowed? I can understand it being logistically difficult to implement, but it would sure be a lot simpler, and it's not like t
by jackfraser 9y ago
Why exactly was incineration not allowed? I can understand it being logistically difficult to implement, but it would sure be a lot simpler, and it's not like there's enough people down there that the carbon footprint relative to the airshed would be significant.
- foobarbecue 9y agoWell you inspired me to actually look this up for the first time. Turns out it's allowed, per Article 3 here: http://www.ats.aq/documents/recatt/Att010_e.pdf http://www.ats.aq/documents/recatt/Att010_e.pdf but McMurdo stopped doing it in 1993 because it was more expensive than shipping unburnt waste north. ( http://www.southpolestation.com/trivia/igy2/incinerator.html http://www.southpolestation.com/trivia/igy2/incinerator.html ) So the category may well have been sort of vestigial.
- hobarrera 9y agoFire is extremely dangerous in Antarctica, even though it sounds counterintuitive. Firstly, it's hard to put out. Even though there's lots of frozen water, liquid water that you can throw onto a fire to put it out is lacking. Secondly, if a small structure catches fire, it's not like in the middle of a US city where you can just stay at a hotel and buy what you lost. Depending on the time of the year, the tools inside might take months to replace, not to mention the shelter itself being lost.