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Oil Discharge Placard
Boats 26’ (8m) and longer must display an oil discharge placard measuring
at least 5” x 8”, made of durable material, fixed in a conspicuous place
in the machinery spaces, or at the bilge pump control station, stating
the following:
Discharge of Oil Prohibited
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act prohibits the discharge of oil or
oily waste upon or into any navigable waters of the U.S. The prohibition
includes any discharge that causes a film or discoloration of the surface
of the water or causes a sludge or emulsion beneath the surface of the
water. Violators are subject to substantial civil and/or criminal
sanctions including fines and imprisonment.
Pollution Control Placards
All boats 26’
(8m) and over operating in US navigable waters must post one or more pollution
placards in a prominent place visible to all passengers and crew. The placard
must be a minimum 4” x 9” and contain the following information regarding the
legality of dumping pollutants:
- Within 3 nautical miles of shore it is illegal to dump plastic and all other trash in lakes, rivers bays and sounds.
- 3-12 nautical miles offshore it is illegal to dump plastic, dunnage, lining and packing materials that float, and all other trash not ground to less than 1”.
- 12-25 nautical miles offshore it is illegal to dump plastic, dunnage, lining and packing materials that float.
- Outside 25 nautical miles offshore it is illegal to dump plastic.
Written Waste Management Plan
Oceangoing boats 40’ (12m) or longer with a galley and berths must
have a written waste management plan describing the procedures for
collecting, processing, storing and discharging garbage, and designating
the person in charge of the plan.
Marine Sanitation Devices (MSD)
Direct discharge of sewage overboard is illegal in US waters (within
three miles of the coastline of the United States). You must have some
means of storing or treating waste until you can dispose of it properly.
What you can legally discharge (if anything) depends on the type of
discharge zone you are in:
- Offshore (outside the three-mile limit): you can discharge untreated waste directly overboard.
- Inside the three-mile limit: Direct discharge of untreated waste is illegal. You must either treat the waste or store it until you can discharge it legally.
- No Discharge Zones (NDZs): Some inland waterways, coastal areas, lakes and even entire states are designated NDZs by the Environmental Protection Agency. All discharge is illegal, treated or otherwise. You must store the waste until you reach a pump-out station or an area where you can treat and then discharge it.
Waste treatment on recreational boats requires a Marine Sanitation Device (MSD).
There are three types of MSDs:
- Type I MSDs rely on maceration and disinfecting for treatment of the waste prior to its discharge into the water. Fecal coliform is restricted to 100/ml. There are no visible floating solids.
- Type II MSDs treat waste similarly to Type I, but with an advanced treatment that results in waste discharge with lower fecal coliform counts (200 per 100/ml and reduced suspended solids (150 mg/ml)
- Type III MSDs are commonly called holding tanks because the sewage flushed from the marine head is deposited into a tank containing deodorizers and other chemicals. The contents of the holding tank are stored until they can be properly disposed of (pumped out) at a shore-side or floating pump-out facility. Type III MSDs can be equipped with a discharge option (usually a Y-valve) that allows direct discharge of sewage overboard. Direct discharge of Type III MSD contents overboard is illegal in US waters (inside the three-mile limit). The Y-valve must be secured in the closed position while operating in US waters.
Legal Requirements: All recreational boats with installed toilet
facilities must have an operable marine sanitation device (MSD) onboard.
- Boats less than 65’ (20m) may use a Type I, II or III MSD.
- Vessels over 65’ (20m) must install a Type II or III MSD.
- All MSDs must be USCG-certified.
When operating in a body of water where the discharge of treated or
untreated sewage is prohibited, the MSD must be secured in a manner
that prevents any discharge. Some acceptable methods are:
- Padlocking overboard discharge valves in the closed position
- Using non-releasable plastic wire ties to hold overboard discharge valves in the close position
- Closing overboard discharge valves and removing the handle
- Locking the door to the toilet facilities with padlock or keylock (Type I and II only)
Portable toilets are not installed devices so they are not subject to the
regulations. If your boat has an installed direct-discharge toilet, the
use of a portable toilet does not bring you into compliance. Either the
installed toilet must hook into a certified MSD, or it must be removed or
permanently disconnected. Sewage from portable toilets may not be dumped
overboard in US waters.
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