§ 151.71 - Operating requirements: Discharge of garbage within special areas.

§ 151.71 Operating requirements: Discharge of garbage within special areas.

(a) When a ship is located within a special area referenced in § 151.53 of this part, no person may discharge garbage into the water, except as allowed in this section.

(b) Food wastes shall only be discharged while the ship is en route and -

(1) As far as practicable from the nearest land or nearest ice shelf, but not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land or nearest ice shelf;

(2) After having been processed with a grinder or comminuter specified in § 151.75; and

(3) Not contaminated by any other garbage type.

(4) The discharge of introduced avian products, including poultry and poultry parts, is not permitted in the Antarctic area unless it has been treated to be made sterile.

(c) Cargo residues that cannot be recovered using commonly available methods for unloading may be discharged where all the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) The cargo residues, cleaning agents or additives contained in the cargo hold washing water do not contain any substances that are harmful to the marine environment.

(2) Both the port of departure and the next port of destination must be within the special area and the ship will not transit outside of the special area when moving between those ports.

(3) No adequate reception facilities are available at those ports.

(4) When the conditions of paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(3) of this section have been fulfilled, discharge of cargo hold washing water containing residues shall be made as far as practicable from the nearest land or the nearest ice shelf and not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land or the nearest ice shelf.

(d) Cleaning agents or additives contained in deck and external surfaces wash water may be discharged only if those substances are not harmful to the marine environment.

(e) Mixtures of garbage having different discharge requirements must be:

(1) Retained on board for later disposal ashore; or

(2) Discharged in accordance with the more stringent requirement prescribed by paragraphs (b) through (d) of this section.

[USCG-2012-1049, 78 FR 13492, Feb. 28, 2013]