Bilge pollution is a type of water pollution that occurs when the bilge water in a ship's hull is discharged into the ocean.^[1][2][3] In a research published in 2019, it was estimated that up to 3000 cases of bilge dumping happen in Europe every year.^[1] According to another estimate, approximately 52.8 million gallons of pollutants are discharged into the ocean annually.^[4]

Treatment of bilge water, in which all contaminants are removed, is the preferred method of dealing with bilge water pollution.^[1] Due to increased operational costs, companies mostly dump waste directly into the ocean without properly processing it.^[1] Due to the presence of carcinogenic chemicals, bilge water waste is considered a threat to marine life and human health.^[5]