The Republic of Marshall Islands had issued a guide on MARPOL Annex V – Prevention of Garbage Pollution from Ships to inform interested parties of the rules on how to properly dispose of garbage onboard.
Disposal of food wastes outside special areas
Ships, excluding fixed or floating platforms and vessels within 500m of such platforms, may discharge food wastes into the sea outside Special Areas under the following conditions: a) Food waste, when comminuted or ground to pass through a screen with an opening no larger than 25 mm, should be discharged at a minimum distance of three nautical miles (nm) from the nearest land. b) Food waste that has not been comminuted or ground must be discharged at a minimum distance of 12 nm from the nearest land.
Food waste disposal for fixed or floating platforms outside special areas
Fixed or floating platforms situated more than 12 nm from the nearest land and other ships may discharge food wastes into the sea if the wastes have been passed through a comminutor or grinder with a screen opening no greater than 25 mm.
Disposal of food wastes within special areas
Within Special Areas, only comminuted or ground food wastes that can pass through a screen with an opening no greater than 25 mm may be discharged into the sea. Discharge should occur when the vessel is en route and at a distance of no less than 12 nm from the nearest land or ice shelf.
Regulations for the Antarctic area
- Discharges as per the above section should be made as far as possible from areas with ice concentrations exceeding 1/10, but no less than 12 nm from the nearest fast ice.
- Food waste must not be discharged onto ice. Avian products, including poultry, are not to be discharged unless sterilized.
- Ships entering the Antarctic area must have sufficient storage for garbage and arrangements for proper disposal post-departure.
Regulations for Arctic areas
Discharges in Arctic Areas must comply with MARPOL Regulation V/4 and the additional requirements of the Polar Code, part II-A.
Disposal of cargo residues
Cargo residues identified as HME are prohibited from being discharged into the sea and must be disposed of at port reception facilities.
Solid bulk cargoes, excluding grain, must be declared by the shipper concerning their HME status, using MARPOL Annex V, Appendix I criteria.
- Cargo hold washing water containing HME residues or residues mixed with HME cleaning agents/additives must be disposed of at port reception facilities in line with MARPOL Regulations V/4 and V/6.
Cargo material in the cargo hold bilge water is not considered cargo residues if it is not HME and is discharged through the ship’s fixed piping bilge drainage system.
Disposal of cleaning agents/additives
Cleaning agents or additives in cargo hold, deck, and external surfaces wash water may be discharged into the sea outside Special Areas if they are not HME, as per MARPOL Regulation V/4.
Within Special Areas, cleaning agents or additives in deck and external surfaces wash water must not be HME, as per MARPOL Regulation V/6.
The product’s producer must provide evidence that the cleaning agent or additive is environmentally safe. This evidence, a dated and signed statement, must be kept on the ship and may be part of a Safety Data Sheet or a separate document.
Discharge of soot
- Boiler/economizer wash water is not explicitly exempt from MARPOL Annex V’s operational wastes definition.
- Boiler/economizer wash water may contain oily pollutants and soot, which can produce an oily sheen on the sea surface. The owner/operator must consider this when deciding how to dispose of the wash water.
- Boiler/economizer wash water must not be discharged within port limits or a coastal State’s territorial waters, unless permitted by the governing jurisdiction.
- If cleaning agents or additives are used, they must not be HME and must meet the criteria in IMO Resolution MEPC.295(71).
Disposal of biodegradable materials
Biodegradable products, although often used to replace plastics and packaging, may not always be safe for the environment or allowed for sea disposal under MARPOL Annex V, as they may be treated to enhance moisture resistance.
If a product is made of a material not permitted under MARPOL Annex V, even if labeled as biodegradable, it must be disposed of at a port reception facility. For example, biodegradable paper bags must be disposed of ashore. Ship owners and operators should contact the Administrator for clarification on permissible materials.
Disposal of animal carcasses
Animal carcasses may only be discharged outside Special Areas and should be done as far as possible from the nearest land.
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- Discharge should occur over 100 nm from the nearest land in the maximum water depth.
- If the ship’s Master determines that retaining the carcasses on board poses a threat to human health and safety, they may be discharged when the ship is between 12 nm and 100 nm from the nearest land.
Carcasses resulting from abnormal ship operation are not considered “garbage” in MARPOL Annex V.
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- In such cases, Masters must seek guidance from the Administrator and relevant port/coastal State(s).
Animal carcass discharge is prohibited in Polar Waters.
Exceptions
In accordance with MARPOL Regulation V/7, the prohibition on discharging garbage into the sea does not apply under certain circumstances:
- When necessary for the safety of the ship and its crew or to save a life at sea.
- When garbage is accidentally discharged due to ship damage, provided all reasonable precautions were taken to prevent/minimize loss.
- To accidentally lost fishing gear, provided reasonable precautions were taken to prevent such loss.
- To fishing gear discharged for marine environment protection or ship/crew safety.
Exceptional or accidental discharges must be recorded in the GRB. Furthermore, en route requirements of MARPOL Regulations V/4 and V/6 do not apply to retaining food wastes when it poses an imminent health risk to those on board.
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