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Ship generated garbage - various categories & management onboard

Garbage includes all kinds of food, domestic and operational waste excluding fresh fish and parts thereof, generated during the normal operation of the vessel and liable to be disposed of continuously or periodically except those substances which are defined or listed in other annexes to MARPOL 73/78 (such as oil, sewage or noxious liquid substances).



The Guidelines for the Implementation of Annex V of MARPOL 73/78 should also be referred to for relevant information.

Description of the garbage

The garbage is to be grouped into categories for the purposes of this record book as follows:

  1. Plastics
  2. Floating dunnage, lining or packing material
  3. Ground-down paper products, rags, glass, metal, bottles, crockery, etc.
  4. Paper products, rags, glass, metal, bottles, crockery, etc.
  5. Food Waste
  6. Incinerator ash except from plastic products which main contain heavy metal residues.

Entries in the Garbage Disposal Record Book

The garbage Disposal Log is usually maintained by the Chief Officer or his deputy . (Garbage Management Personnel) Entries in the Garbage Disposal Record Book shall be made on each of the following occasions:

(a) When garbage is discharged into the sea
(b) When garbage is discharged to reception facilities ashore or to other ships:
(c) When garbage is incinerated:
(d) Accidental or other exceptional discharges of garbage:
Garbage Receipts

The Master shall obtain from the operator of port reception facilities, or from the master of the ship receiving the garbage, a receipt or certificate specifying the estimated amount and category of garbage transferred. The receipts or certificates must be kept on board the ship with the Garbage Disposal Record Book for two years.


Amount of Garbage

The amount of garbage onboard shall be estimated in m3, separately according to category. The Garbage Disposal Record Book contains many references to estimated amount of garbage. It is recognised that the accuracy of estimating amounts of garbage is left to interpretation. Volume estimates will differ before and after processing. Some processing procedures may not allow for usable estimates of volume, e.g. the continuous processing of food waste. Such factors should be taken into consideration when making and interpreting entries made in a record.


Record & categories of garbage discharges


(Note 1: incinerator ash must not contain any garbage containing more than a trace of heavy metals, Annex I, II or III cargo residues or PCBs)

(Note 2: Incineration of any material is prohibited within the Baltic Sea Area [Helsinki Convention])

NOTE: THE DISCHARGE OF ANY GARBAGE OTHER THAN FOOD WASTE IS PROHIBITED IN SPECIAL AREAS. SPECIAL AREAS ARE DEFINED IN SECTION 1. GARBAGE DISCHARGED INTO THE SEA OR INCINERATED MUST BE CATEGORISED. GARBAGE OTHER THAN CATEGORY 1 DISCHARGED TO RECEPTION FACILITIES NEED ONLY BE LISTED AS A TOTAL ESTIMATED AMOUNT. DISCHARGES OF CARGO RESIDUES REQUIRE START AND STOP POSITIONS TO BE RECORDED.


During the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting from 11 to 15 July 2011, revised MARPOL Annex V Regulations for the prevention of pollution by garbage from ships, which was developed following a comprehensive review to bring the Annex up to date, was adopted. The amendments are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2013.

The main changes include the updating of definitions; inclusion of a new requirement specifying that discharge of all garbage into the sea is prohibited, except as expressly provided otherwise; and expansion of requirements for placards and garbage management plans to fixed and floating platforms.

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Related articles

  1. Protection of marine environment - related guideline

  2. International convention for preventing oil pollution at sea - Marpol 73/78





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