Sea Pollution (Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships) Regulations 2012.
Statutory Instruments
Source: Statutory Instruments

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paragraphs: (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Sea Pollution (Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships) Regulations 2012.
(2) These Regulations shall come into operation on 1 January 2013.
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paragraphs: (1) In these Regulations—
(a) The Mediterranean Sea area means the Mediterranean Sea proper including the gulfs and seas therein with the boundary between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea constituted by the 41°N parallel and bounded to the west by the Straits of Gibraltar at the meridian 5°36’W;
(b) The Baltic Sea area means the Baltic Sea proper with the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland and the entrance to the Baltic Sea bounded by the parallel of the Skaw in the Skagerrak at 57°44.8’N;
(c) The Black Sea area means the Black Sea proper with the boundary between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea constituted by the parallel 41°N;
(d) The Red Sea area means the Red Sea proper including the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba bounded at the south by the rhumb line between Ras si Ane (12° 28.5' N, 43° 19.6' E) and Husn Murad (12° 40.4’N, 43° 30.2’E);
(e) The Gulfs area means the sea area located north-west of the rhumb line between Ras al Hadd (22° 30’N, 59° 48”E) and Ras al Fasteh (25° 04’N, 61° 25’E);
(f) The North Sea area means the North Sea proper including seas therein with the boundary between:
(i) the North Sea southwards of latitude 62°N and eastwards of longitude 4°W;
(ii) the Skagerrak, the southern limit of which is determined east of the Skaw by latitude 57°44.8”N; and
(iii) the English Channel and its approaches eastwards of longitude 5°W and northwards of latitude 48°30’N;
(g) The Antarctic area means the sea area south of latitude 60°S;
(h) The Wider Caribbean Region, as defined in article 2, paragraph 1 of the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (Cartagena de Indias, 1983), means the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea proper including the bays and seas therein and that portion of the Atlantic Ocean within the boundary constituted by the 30°N parallel from Florida eastward to 77°30’W meridian, thence a rhumb line to the intersection of 20°N parallel and 59°W meridian, thence a rhumb line to the intersection of 7°20’N parallel and 50°W meridian, thence a rhumb line drawn south-westerly to the eastern boundary of French Guiana.
(2) Where guidelines developed by the Organization and referred to in these Regulations are amended after these Regulations come into operation, the reference shall be taken to be a reference to the guidelines as amended.
(3) If a word or expression that is not defined in these Regulations is used in these Regulations and is also used in Annex V, the word or expression has, unless the context otherwise requires, the same meaning in these Regulations as in that Annex.
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paragraphs: These Regulations shall apply to all ships to which the Act applies.
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paragraphs: (1) The discharge of all garbage into the sea is prohibited, except as provided otherwise than in section 11 of the Act and Regulations 5, 6, and 7.
(2) Except as provided in section 11 of the Act, discharge into the sea of all plastics, including but not limited to synthetic ropes, synthetic fishing nets, plastic garbage bags and incinerator ashes from plastic products is prohibited.
(3) Except as provided in section 11 of the Act, the discharge into the sea of cooking oil is prohibited.
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paragraphs: (1) Subject to section 11 of the Act and Regulations 6 and 7, for animal carcasses, discharge shall occur as far from the nearest land as possible, taking into account the guidelines developed by the Organization, and discharge of the following garbage into the sea outside special areas shall only be permitted while the ship is en route and as far as practicable from the nearest land, but in any case not less than—
(a) 3 nautical miles from the nearest land for food wastes which have been passed through a comminuter or grinder. Such comminuted or ground food wastes shall be capable of passing through a screen with openings no greater than 25 mm,
(b) 12 nautical miles from the nearest land for food wastes that have not been treated in accordance with subparagraph (a), and
(c) 12 nautical miles from the nearest land for cargo residues that cannot be recovered using commonly available methods for unloading. These cargo residues shall not contain any substances classified as harmful to the marine environment, taking into account guidelines developed by the Organization.
(2) Cleaning agents or additives contained in cargo hold, deck and external surfaces wash water may be discharged into the sea, but these substances must not be harmful to the marine environment, taking into account guidelines developed by the Organization.
(3) When garbage is mixed with or contaminated by other substances prohibited from discharge or having different discharge requirements, the more stringent requirements shall apply.
(4) The en route requirements of paragraphs (1)(a) and (1)(b) shall not apply to the discharge of food wastes where it is clear the retention on board of these food wastes presents an imminent health risk to the people on board.
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paragraphs: (1) Subject to section 11 of the Act and paragraph (2), the discharge into the sea of any garbage is prohibited from fixed or floating platforms and from all other ships when alongside or within 500 m of such platforms.
(2) Food wastes may be discharged into the sea from fixed or floating platforms located more than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land and from all other ships when alongside or within 500 m of such platforms, but only when the wastes have been passed through a comminuter or grinder. Such comminuted or ground food wastes shall be capable of passing through a screen with openings no greater than 25 mm.
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paragraphs: (1) Subject to section 11 of the Act, discharge of the following garbage into the sea within special areas shall only be permitted while the ship is en route and as follows:
(a) Discharge into the sea of food wastes as far as practicable from the nearest land, but not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land or the nearest ice shelf. Food wastes shall be comminuted or ground and shall be capable of passing through a screen with openings no greater than 25 mm. Food wastes shall not be contaminated by any other garbage type. Discharge of introduced avian products, including poultry and poultry parts, is not permitted in the Antarctic area unless it has been treated to be made sterile.
(b) Discharge of cargo residues that cannot be recovered using commonly available methods for unloading, where all the following conditions are satisfied:
(i) Cargo residues, cleaning agents or additives, contained in hold washing water do not include any substances classified as harmful to the marine environment, taking into account guidelines developed by the Organization;
(ii) Both the port of departure and the next port of destination are within the special area and the ship will not transit outside the special area between those ports;
(iii) No adequate reception facilities are available at those ports taking into account guidelines developed by the Organization; and
(iv) Where the conditions of subparagraphs (b)(i), (b)(ii) and (b)(iii) of this paragraph have been fulfilled, discharge of cargo hold washing water containing residues shall be made as far as practicable from the nearest land or the nearest ice shelf and not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land or the nearest ice shelf.
(2) Cleaning agents or additives contained in deck and external surfaces wash water may be discharged into the sea, but only if these substances are not harmful to the marine environment, taking into account guidelines developed by the Organization.
(3) The following rules, in addition to the rules in paragraph (1), apply with respect to the Antarctic area:
(a) Where, at a port in the State, ships depart en route to or arrive from the Antarctic area, the Minister shall ensure that, as soon as practicable, adequate facilities are provided for the reception of all garbage from all ships, without causing undue delay, and according to the needs of the ships using them.
(b) The Minister shall ensure that all ships entitled to fly the Irish flag, before entering the Antarctic area, have sufficient capacity on board for the retention of all garbage while operating in the area, and have concluded arrangements to discharge such garbage at a reception facility after leaving the area.
(4) When garbage is mixed with or contaminated by other substances prohibited from discharge or having different discharge requirements, the more stringent requirements shall apply.
(5) The en route requirements of paragraph (1)(a) shall not apply to the discharge of food wastes where it is clear the retention on board of these food wastes presents an imminent health risk to the people on board.
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paragraphs: (1) Harbour authorities and persons having control of a harbour shall provide adequate facilities at ports and terminals for the reception of garbage without causing undue delay to ships, and according to the needs of the ships using them.
(2) The Minister shall cause a notification to be sent to the Organization for transmission to the Parties concerned of all cases where the facilities provided under this Regulation are alleged to be inadequate.