Clean Ships, Clean Ports, Clean Oceans: Controlling Garbage and Plastic Wastes at Sea (1995)
Chapter: Intelligence
changes on some military vessels. The Navy has yet to develop a complete compliance solution for auxiliary vessels, and it is not yet certain that the Coast Guard's plans can and will be implemented.
Analysis of Interventions
Table 4-5 lists possible interventions to improve Annex V implementation in this sector. In addition to retrofitting garbage treatment equipment on the Coast Guard fleet as planned, technological options include adapting these strategies for use on other small public vessels. Continued development of alternative packaging strategies and biodegradable materials is likely to be useful as well. For example, vessel operators might be able to use only paper packaging and then install pulpers to dispose of this waste.
Among organizational strategies, each service would do well to foster fleetwide support for ending temporary coping mechanisms in favor of permanent compliance strategies. Other alternatives include development of recycling programs for items, such as cans, now thrown overboard (where permitted). There may be less need for new educational programs in this sector than in some others, because Coast Guard and Navy personnel are well aware of and willing to comply with Annex V. Still, there is room for improvement, such as with standardized training in compliance strategies.
Possible regulatory interventions include a ban on use of certain disposable items, and extending to public vessels the requirement for garbage logs (now applied to U.S.-flag commercial vessels). The latter option might not accomplish much in terms of raising compliance levels, considering that uniformed personnel generally want to comply but face technical obstacles.
Offshore Platforms, Rigs, Supply Vessels, and Base Terminals
Intelligence
The government's capacity for gathering information about the offshore oil and gas industry is significant, although the system is not geared to Annex V. The MMS collects data on outer continental shelf activities, but little of it relates to garbage. Platforms are inspected at least once a year for compliance with operating rules. In reviewing possible sources of pollution, inspectors focus on oil leaks rather than garbage but may check for compliance with equipment handling regulations designed to minimize overboard losses. Platform operators are required to mark equipment, tools, and containers weighing over 40 pounds for purposes of identification and to report equipment losses to MMS as well as record them in daily operations reports.
Some information on disposal practices has been obtained from beach surveys. At Padre Island National Seashore in Texas, for example, National Park
TABLE 4-5 Applying the Hazard Evolution and Intervention Model to Small Public Vessels and Their Home Ports
|
Hazard Evolution Model |
Human Behavior that Encourages Generating Garbage |
On-board Generation of Garbage |
|
Intervention Model |
Modify Behavior that Encourages Generating Garbage |
Reduce Garbage Generation |
|
Technological |
Reduce or eliminate convenience packaging of supplies and foods. |
Provide alternate packaging when feasible (given packaging standards for electronic equipment). |
|
Organizational and Operational |
Centralize or oversee provisioning to foster widespread innovation. |
Use only vendors committed to minimizing waste. Sort garbage at site of generation. Hold garbage on board for shoreside recycling. Coordinate or review provisioning to extend innovation through fleets. |
|
Educational (Target Population/Content) |
Provide standard training in compliance methods for officers and crews. |
|
|
Government and Private Regulation and Enforcement |
Modify fleet supply contracts for provisions that trigger garbage generation. |
Prohibit use of certain disposable items (e.g., plastics). Impose mandatory sorting and holding of garbage for shoreside recycling. |
|
Hazard Evolution Model |
Breakdown in Compliance |
Discharge of Garbage into Sea |
Exposure to Discharged Garbage |
|
Intervention Model |
Prevent Breakdown in Compliance |
Block Discharge of Garbage into Sea |
Block Exposure to Discharged Garbage |
|
Technological |
Promote development of improved on-board garbage management equipment for small vessels. Keep shipboard systems well maintained. |
Install on-board garbage treatment equipment on Coast Guard vessels. Develop appropriate units for other small military vessels. Make room to store garbage in places other than weather deck. |
Promote compacting of legal discards to minimize garbage in water column, avoid blanketing ocean bottom, and minimize harm to wildlife. Use biodegradable materials (except plastics). |
|
Organizational and Operational |
Provide reminders for crew with posters and placards. |
Foster fleet support for permanent compliance procedures and equipment. Establish on-board recycling programs for items (such as cans) that otherwise would be discharged overboard legally. |
|
|
Educational (Target Population/Content) |
|
|
|
|
Government and Private Regulation and Enforcement |
Encourage peer enforcement of internal guidelines. |
Require internal records of legal discharges at sea. Keep receipts issued by port reception facilities. Establish and enforce internal penalties (fleet policies). |
Develop in-house guidelines and directives. |
