Where do Navy ships dump their trash these days?

Question

I was in the Navy in the late 60's and all trash was dumped over the fantail (stern) while at sea. I'm guessing this is no longer allowed (hopefully!) I have no idea what made me wonder about this.

Answer 1

my friend is currently enlisted and on the uss enterprise and he told me they just throw trash overboard. I was astonished at the ignorance

Answer 2

They still dump waste overboard, everything from desks to plastics(!) to old air conditioners. Not all navy ships do this, most have a compacter which doesn't stop them from dumping if they're far from a port... and some burn the trash. So, depending on the personell on the ship as well as the capabilities, they still dump right into the ocean... leaving a very nasty trail behind them.