Garbage management plan example

If you are not sure how to put together your garbage management plan, you can follow this example.

This example of a garbage management plan [1] could be used for a small passenger vessel which can carry 15 people or more with two crew members. You can modify the plan to suit your vessel.

Garbage management plan
Name of vessel	Insert name of vessel
Official number	Insert official number
Call sign	Insert call sign
Classification society (if applicable)	Insert classification society (if applicable)
Port of registry	Insert port of registry
Date plan due for review	Insert date plan for review
Responsible person*	Insert name of responsible person/s

*For small vessels with one or minimum crew members, it will be the responsibility of the owner/operator to determine who will be responsible for carrying out the plan and implementing the procedures within the plan.

Note: Regulation 10(2) of Annex V of MARPOL provides as follows:

'Every ship of 100 gross tonnage and above, and every ship which is certified to carry 15 or more persons, and fixed or floating platforms shall carry a garbage management plan which the crew shall follow. This plan shall provide written procedures for minimising, collecting, storing, processing and disposing of garbage, including the use of the equipment on board. It shall also designate the persons in charge of carrying out the plan. The plan shall be based on the guidelines developed by the organisation and written in the working language by the crew.'

Garbage means all kinds of food wastes, domestic wastes and operational wastes, all plastics, cargos residues, incinerator ashes, cooking oil, fishing gear, and animal carcasses generated during the normal operation of the ship and liable to be disposed of continuously or periodically except those substances which are defined or listed in other Annexes to the presentcConvention. Garbage doesn't include fresh fish and parts generated as a result of fishing activities undertaken during the voyage, or as a result of aquaculture activities which involve the transport of fish including shellfish for placement in the aquaculture facility and the transport of harvested fish including shellfish from such facilities to shore for processing.

Procedures for collecting garbage

This section should identify suitable containers and location for collection and separation.

For larger vessels, include description of the process for transporting garbage from where it is generated to the collection and separation points.

Needs of on shore garbage reception facilities, taking into account possible:

local recycling arrangements
intended on-board processing
intended storage.

Example text:

Bins will be placed on vessel for recyclable items and for general waste.
Each bin will be clearly labelled and will be lined with bin liners for ease of disposal and to ensure that liquids are contained.
Bins will also be securely fastened to ensure that they do not move or open and release while at sea.
Food waste that is likely to decompose (such as meat, prawn tails etc) will be double bagged and frozen ready to be disposed of at shore garbage facilities.
Bins will be on wheels so that garbage can be wheeled off vessel at port. In instances where only small amounts of garbage are collected, bags will be tied up and carried off vessel.
No garbage will be disposed of at sea, as vessel does not go further than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land.

Procedures for processing garbage

This section only applies to vessels fitted with processing equipment. Otherwise insert N/A.

For vessels fitted with equipment to process garbage, this section should describe:

how garbage will be handled between primary processing locations and the storage or disposal locations
the processing procedures used
the processing procedure used for disposal at sea (in accordance with MARPOL Annex V).

Example text:

No processing equipment carried on vessel.
All garbage will be disposed of using shore based facilities.

Procedures for storing garbage

This section should:

identify the location, the intended use, and the capacity of available storage points for each category of garbage
explain how bins are fastened to make sure they do not move or open and release while at sea.

Example text:

Bins will be placed at each end of vessel when transporting passengers.
Bins will also be securely fastened to make sure they do not move or open and release while at sea.
Depending on size and weight of the garbage, bins will either be wheeled or carried off the vessel making sure the bin liner is replaced as soon as the empty bin is returned to the vessel.
Food waste will be disposed of on a daily basis.
All crew members are familiar with garbage management procedures and any procedure will be included in induction for new staff members.

Procedures for disposing of garbage

Describe the vessel’s procedures to ensure compliance with the requirements of Regulation 9(2) Annex V of MARPOL for disposal of garbage, eg shore based facilities.

Example text:

All garbage will be disposed of using shore based facilities.
If shore based facilities are not available, adequate on board storage space will be allocated to make sure that garbage is appropriately managed until suitable shore based facilities are available.

Related information

Garbage management plans [1]