You aven't got my point: disregarding the legal point or even the chemical
pollution, the soap can be safe and not chemically polluttant (maybe...)
But you can guarantee that the oil (only to remain with your example...)
that the soap as removed is also safe and not polluttant?

No...soap or detergent is safe, and so is anything that goes down a sink
or shower drain. But there is no soap, detergent or other cleaning
product that can transform a pollutant--say, oil in a bilge--into an
environmentally friendly product. Which is why it's such a mystery to me
that boat owners are so concerned about organic matter in gray water or
treated toilet waste, but give no thought at all to what their bilge
pumps are discharging.

And even if it is safe, do you tink that a place full of soap bubbles and
oil and watermelon seeds floating around is nice place where to send the
boys to swim?

Don't confuse galley WATER with galley waste (garbage)--which is what
watermelon seeds are. As for any oils (cooking or body), they're
emulsified by detergents and soaps...and most of those are very low suds
these days. You're far more likely to see suds and bubbles around a boat
being washed than from any sink drains.

If you're really sincere about protecting the ocean environment,
concentrate your efforts on keeping oil and grease out of the bilges
instead of worrying about what goes down a drain.

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://69.20.93.241/store/customer/p...40&cat=&page=1
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detai...=400&group=327