Patent attributes
A fluid pollution prevention system for preventing the discharge of hazardous waste from a bilge of a marine vessel, and removal of the same from the bilge. The system includes an absorber for absorbing hazardous waste from a fluid in the bilge. The system further includes a pump that locates the absorber in a predetermined orientation relative to the pump to prevent the discharge of hazardous waste from the bilge. In one embodiment of the invention, the pump includes a housing having an outside surface that is adapted for disposition within an enclosed area defined by the absorber. According to this characterization, the absorber is movable along the outside surface of the pump housing as a function of the bilge fluid level to absorb hazardous waste from the fluid and isolate an inlet of the bilge pump from receipt of the same. In a further characterization, the fluid outlet vertically exits the pump housing such that the fluid outlet does not interference with the movement of the absorber.
