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Garbage placards

MARPOL Garbage placards (also known as stickers) are mandatory for all vessels of 12 metres or more in length and fixed or floating platforms.

Placards, or stickers, advise crew and passengers of the rules that prohibit the discharge of garbage into the sea.  

Placards should be displayed on the vessel where they are visible for both crew and passengers. Your vessel or fixed or floating platform may be subject to inspection by state, territory, or Commonwealth officials to check that you display garbage placards. 

For ships engaged in voyages to overseas ports or offshore terminals, placards must be written in the working language of the ship’s crew and must also be in English, French or Spanish.  

We have developed four placards to help owners and operators comply with these requirements. These can be ordered free-of-charge.

Last updated: 13 November 2025