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That's the major issue with desalination. Dumping the brine byproduct back into the ocean is roughly equivalent of dumping other chemicals into the ocean, if no
by barbecue_sauce 7y ago
That's the major issue with desalination. Dumping the brine byproduct back into the ocean is roughly equivalent of dumping other chemicals into the ocean, if not worse.
- AnimalMuppet 7y agoWhy worse? I'd argue that it's less bad, because the salt was already there. Now, it can still be just as toxic, and that has to be handled. But if properly diluted, then it should be equivalent to the ocean evaporating water, which happens constantly.
- bryanlarsen 7y agoAlso, the water created through desalination will end up back in the ocean eventually.
- noodle 7y ago> But if properly diluted That's the key phrase here. Obviously, if you dump it back into the ocean such that it actually does not impact local salinity levels, its fine. But that's also true for essentially anything dumped into the ocean - if you can manage the dumping of a toxic chemical such that it has no impact, wouldn't it also be fine?
- AnimalMuppet 7y agoNo. If I take saltwater from the ocean, and desalinate it, and put the salt back in the ocean, the salt was already there before I started. If I dump a toxic chemical in the ocean, the toxic chemical was not there before I started. Those are not equivalent.
- bluGill 7y agoSince we are dumping sewage back into the ocean (after treatment), can't we dilute the salt back into what we are putting back? Of course if you go down that route much you realize that the output of sewage plants is safe for human consumption there is no technical reason not to put it back into the water supply and greatly reduce the need for makeup water.
- ClumsyPilot 7y agoThis statement is so wrong, brine contains salt that was in the ocean to begin with. As long as it's spread/diluted well, it has no impact. Are you claiming this is comparable to an oil spill or eutherification?