More than 3,000 species of animals and plants are picked up daily and carried around the world in the ballast water of ships and, when the ballast water is discharged, these unintended and unwelcomed organisms are released into new environments. Those that survive and breed often cause disastrous results as they spread unchecked. NPR's David Baron says that a report issued today from the National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council recommends that the government require ships to take steps to stop the release of these organisms. They recommend filtering ballast water and treating it with chemicals or heat before it is discharged.
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