Is It Okay To Pee In The Sea?

Peeing in the ocean. Come on. Admit it. We’ve ALL done it.

I mean, what are we SUPPOSED to do when there are no public toilets anywhere?!?

But, we’ve never been FINED for it. That would royally suck.

According to the Huffington Post, there is a town in Spain that is going to start fining visitors who are caught peeing in the sea or on the beach.

And, this is no small fine.

It’s a £645 penalty — which is close to $800 American.

What?? Ouch!!

According to the city council of Vigo, peeing in the sea is “an infringement of hygiene and sanitary regulations.”

Yeah. Okay. If you think about it, it’s pretty gross.

Is It Okay To Pee In The Sea?

But, according to doctors, urinating in the sea isn’t a substantial problem to the health of the public.

Urinating in the sea is generally not considered harmful to humans or swimmers — Despite urine containing toxic by-products from humans such as urea, 95% of urine is actually water, and when diluted in seawater the concentrations of the toxic by-products are very low and unlikely to cause harm.
Dr. Nirusa Kumaran, medical director and founder of Elemental Health Clinic

Side Note: The same does NOT go for pools. When urine mixes with the chlorine in a pool, it actually produces a toxic chemical. Just don’t do it.

Scientists, however, have a difference of opinion on the matter. They say peeing in the ocean is horrible for the environment.

Nitrogen (which is found in urine) causes algae to grow, and this is detrimental to coral. Additionally, drug chemicals in the human body which are passed into the sea by urine can cause damage to coral reefs by altering the balance of microbes.
Huffington Post