The ocean is an expansive and mystifying part of our world. Thousands of known species thrive in its depths, while thousands of unknown species remain a mystery. Yet, as we strive to uncover more of the ocean’s natural beauty, more and more marine life continues to perish. Pollution remains an enormous threat to all marine life, and to the health of the entire ecosystem.
However, pollution also serves as a direct threat to the well-being of the United States economy. In 2014, it was estimated that $13 Billion per year was being spent on ocean plastic pollution alone. However, this number does not even account for the 1.3 million gallons of oil that finds its way into our water each year.
As pollution continues to worsen, and the hope for a solution seems to dwindle away, it is time for more marine employees to blow the whistle.
The Act To Prevent Pollution From Ships
In order to create incentive for employees witnessing wrongdoing to come forward, the Act To Prevent Pollution From Ships (APPS) was established by the United States.
There are several violations that ships can be held accountable for under APPS. Some of these violations include the spilling of oil-based and liquid pollutants. The falsification of oil discharge records in large ships, is another violation of APPS.
Over the years, there have been many successful whistleblower cases under APPS.
A Mutual Advantage of APPS: Whistleblowers and The Government
The Act To Prevent Pollution From Ships provides both an incentive and a solution. Unlike other whistleblower programs with rewards that can range from 10%-30% of the money recovered in the investigation, the APPS allows whistleblowers to receive up to 50% of the collected fines.
In 2014, four brave whistleblowers came forward with evidence proving that an Italian company, Carbofin, had been dumping pollutants and falsifying their Oil Record Book. These whistleblowers received a total of $1.075 million for their efforts.
In June 2017, a case involving the Egyptian Tanker Company and Thome Ship Management resulted in a crew member blowing the whistle on the illegal dumping of oil and garbage during a routine Coast Guard inspection. This whistleblower is expected to receive a $950,000 reward under APPS.
Cases against companies like Carbofin, Egyptian Tanker Company, and Thome Ship Management, prove that whistleblowers play a key part in solving the crisis of ocean pollution. These courageous individuals have the ability to bring the harmful violations of large companies to the attention of authorities.
Without this insight, it is possible that numerous occurrences of pollution will go unknown, leading to an increasingly drained economy and deadly effects on the ecosystem.
If you are interested in blowing the whistle on fraud, contact the Whistleblower Help Center® today!
