1.7 Application

  1.7.1 This section provides clarification as to what should and should not be considered garbage under MARPOL Annex V.

  1.7.2 Ash and clinkers from shipboard incinerators and coal-burning boilers should be considered as operational wastes within the meaning of regulation 1.12 of MARPOL Annex V, and therefore are included in the term garbage, within the meaning of regulation 1.9 of MARPOL Annex V.

  1.7.3 The definition of "operational wastes" (regulation 1.12 of MARPOL Annex V) excludes grey water, bilge water, or other similar discharges essential to the operation of a ship. "Other similar discharges" essential to the operation of a ship include, but are not limited to the following:

• boiler/economizer blowdown;
• boat engine wet exhaust;
• chain locker effluent;
• controllable pitch propeller and thruster hydraulic fluid and other oil to sea interfaces (e.g. thruster bearings, stabilizers, rudder bearings, etc.);
• distillation/reverse osmosis brine;
• elevator pit effluent;
• firemain systems water;
• freshwater lay-up;
• gas turbine washwater;
• motor gasoline and compensating discharge;
• machinery wastewater;
• pool, spa water and recreational waters;
• sonar dome discharge; and
• welldeck discharges.

  1.7.4 While cleaning agents and additives contained in hold washwater, and deck and external surface washwater are considered "operational wastes" and thus "garbage" under Annex V, these cleaning agents and additives may be discharged into the sea so long as they are not harmful to the marine environment.

  1.7.5 A cleaning agent or additive is considered not harmful to the marine environment if it:

• .1 is not a "harmful substance" in accordance with the criteria in MARPOL Annex III; and

• .2 does not contain any components which are known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic (CMR).

  1.7.6 The ship's record should contain evidence provided by the producer of the cleaning agent or additive that the product meets the criteria for not being harmful to the marine environment. To provide an assurance of compliance, a dated and signed statement to this effect from the product supplier would be adequate for the purposes of a ship's record. This might form part of a Safety Data Sheet or be a stand-alone document but this should be left to the discretion of the producer concerned.

  1.7.7 Releasing small quantities of food into the sea for the specific purpose of fish feeding in connection with fishing or tourist operations should not be considered a discharge of garbage in the context of Annex V.

  1.7.8 Fishing gear that is released into the water with the intention for later retrieval, such as fish aggregating devices (FADs), traps and static nets, should not be considered garbage or accidental loss in the context of Annex V.