Clean Ships, Clean Ports, Clean Oceans: Controlling Garbage and Plastic Wastes at Sea (1995)
Chapter: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT ACTION
streamline enforcement by issuing "tickets" in civil cases, particularly in the fisheries and recreational boating sectors; require that ports provide receipts for garbage off-loaded into their reception facilities, and then compare the receipts to vessel garbage logs; require that cargo and cruise ships off-load garbage at U.S. port calls; enlist the assistance of additional government agencies in reporting Annex V violations; encourage vessel operators to report inadequate reception facilities; and conduct public awareness campaigns urging citizens to report illegal garbage disposal.
The committee concludes that (1) enforcement action must be taken and followed up in every case where the United States can assert jurisdiction, even when the violator is a foreign-flag vessel; (2) the Coast Guard is the appropriate agency to lead expanded enforcement efforts; and (3) the Coast Guard needs to take additional steps to enhance enforcement where most needed.
Accurate record keeping and analysis of garbage records could be useful in determining where special enforcement efforts are needed as well as in measuring progress in Annex V implementation. The most easily implemented record-keeping system may be a combined Coast Guard/APHIS database on vessel garbage handling, making use of existing APHIS records of vessel boardings and garbage off-loading, and information from garbage logs and Coast Guard enforcement reports.
The committee concludes that, to make the best use of existing information and enforcement assets, systematic government record keeping and analysis is needed.
The third issue is special areas, which must be taken into account in devising a U.S. strategy for Annex V implementation. These are areas designated under Annex V where, because of heavy vessel traffic and/or highly sensitive ecosystems, IMO prohibits overboard discharges of all garbage except food waste.5 These restrictions mean that vessels operating in special areas need to achieve zero-discharge capability. In addition, the United States needs to find ways to help assure that sufficient numbers of adequate port reception facilities exist in the nearby Wider Caribbean special area.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT ACTION
While it is the responsibility of individual mariners to conform with international standards on garbage management and disposal, the federal government can take important steps to facilitate, promote, and compel compliance. Recom-
