A study carried out by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has found that cargo ships are discharging potentially harmful waste into the oceans. Waste from the exhaust cleaning systems, also known as scrubbers, is dumped close to shores. The study has established that about 80% of the waste water ends up near shorelines, including popular cruise destinations such as Italy and the Bahamas, and in ecologically sensitive areas, like the Great Barrier Reef. The scrubber system is a shortcut that has been introduced by ship companies that do not want to move away from toxic, sulfur-rich fuels but must abide by international air quality laws.