Oil Discharges
• Federal law prohibits the discharge of oil
or other hazardous substances into navigable
waters.
• Oil residue can build up in the bilge and
might be pumped overboard, thereby
polluting an area.
• This can happen when drain plugs
are removed from a boat on a lift or
trailer.
• Take precautions to prevent this happening.
• There are penalties for every discharge of
a harmful quantity of oil.
• Boats 26 feet or greater in length, with
machinery spaces, must display a placard
measuring at least 5 by 8 inches, made of
durable material, fixed in a conspicuous
place in the machinery space, or at minimum
at the bilge pump control station
(see figure 7-8).
Important: Report any oil spill to the
Coast Guard immediately. Report any discharge
of a hazardous substance that causes a
film, discoloration, or emulsion to form on or
beneath the water’s surface.
Sewage Discharge
• The law states that it is illegal to discharge
raw sewage into the ocean from a
vessel within 3 miles of the coastline, or
in sounds, bays, navigable rivers, or the
Great Lakes.
• Untreated human waste may never be
dumped into inland waters. Recreational
boats with installed toilet facilities must
have an operable Coast Guard-certified
marine sanitation device (MSD). These
devices are of various types.
• Type I and II devices treat sewage
in an approved manner before discharge
into the water. These devices
must be sealed to prevent discharge
in no-discharge zones.
• Type III MSDs include recirculating
and incinerating devices and holding
tanks.
• Use an approved pump-out station to
empty holding tanks. If your boat is
equipped with a “Y” valve, it must be
closed and secured by a lock or non-
reusable tie.
Because of the growing number of no-
discharge zones and the increasing number
of boaters, the Federal Government and the
states are assisting with funding additional
pump-out stations along U.S. waterways.
Use your head—don’t pollute. Install
a Coast Guard-approved marine sanitation
device in your boat, preferably one with a
holding tank. Be aware of local anti-pollution
laws wherever you boat.
Dumping of Garbage
Essentially, do not dump anything into the
water! Take it to the beach, a pump-out station,
or shore collection bin as appropriate.
The Marine Pollution International
Committee (MARPOL) issued stringent
restrictions for the discharge of garbage
that became effective 1 January 2013.
MARPOL Annex V provides guidance
for enforcement by member nations and
90 Chapter Two
Tip: Pump-out station locations
can usually be found by looking at your
state’s environmental agency web site.
This site will also list any “No Discharge
Zones.”
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Figure 7-8. Oil discharge placard. (Shown
here at reduced size. The placard must be 5 x 8
inches.)