2.10 Compaction

Table 3 shows compaction options for various types of garbage.

Table 3 Compaction options for shipboard-generated garbage

Examples of garbage	Special handling by vessel personnel before compactIon	Compaction characteristics			Retainment of compacted form
Examples of garbage	Special handling by vessel personnel before compactIon	Rate of alteration	Density of compacted form	Onboard storage space	Retainment of compacted form
Metal, food and beverage containers, glass, small wood pieces	None	Very rapid	Almost 100%	High	Minimum
Comminuted plastics, fibre and paper board	Minor – reduce material to size for feed, minimal manual labour	Rapid	Approximately 80%	Medium	Minimum
Small metal drums^footnote, uncomminuted cargo packing, large pieces of wood	Moderate – longer manual labour time required to size material for feed	Slow	Approximately 50%	Relatively low	Moderate
Uncomminuted plastics	Major – very long manual labour time to size material for feed; usually impractical	Very slow	Less than 10%	Very low	Maximum
Bulky metal cargo containers, thick metal items	Impractical for shipboard compaction; not feasible	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Maximum

2.10.1 Most garbage can be compacted to some degree; the exceptions include unground plastics, fibre and paper board, bulky cargo containers and thick metal items. Pressurized containers should not be compacted or shredded without the use of specialized equipment designed for this purpose because they present an explosion hazard in standard compactors.

2.10.2 Compaction reduces the volume of garbage. In most cases, the output from a compactor is a block of material which facilitates the shipboard storage of garbage and its discharging of the material in a port facility. It should be taken into account that the output from a compactor might be subject to quarantine, sanitary or health requirements or other requirements from the port reception facilities and advice from local authorities should be sought on any standards or requirements which are additional to those set by the Organization.

2.10.3 Compactors have options including sanitizing, deodorizing, adjustable compaction ratios, bagging in plastic or paper, boxing in cardboard (with or without plastic or wax paper lining), baling, etc. Compacted materials should be stored appropriately. While metal and plastic bales can get wet, paper and cardboard bales should be kept dry.

2.10.4 If grinding machines are used prior to compaction, the compaction ratio can be increased and the storage space decreased. Careful investigation of the appropriate compaction machine should be undertaken, based on the type and volume of material that will be compacted, as not all compactor require grinding. Compaction is just one step in the solid waste management scheme and the shipowner/operator should ensure all phases of garbage management are described in their Garbage Management Plan. Proper care should be taken when handling and storing binder wrap to prevent it from accidentally entering the marine environment.

2.10.5 A compactor should be installed in a compartment with adequate room for operating and maintaining the unit and storing garbage to be processed. The compartment should be located adjacent to the areas of food processing and commissary store-rooms. If not already required by regulation, it is recommended that the space should have freshwater wash down service, coamings, deck drains, adequate ventilation and hand or automatic fixed fire-fighting equipment.

2.10.6 Information on the development and use of shipboard compactors should be forwarded to the Organization for sharing between interested parties.