Waste - Offshore Incineration

• MARPOL 73/78 Annex VI - Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships Annex VI entered into force on 19 May 2005 and a revised Annex VI was adopted in October 2008 which entered into force on 1 July 2010.

• The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Regulations 2008 as amended

These Regulations implement MARPOL Annex VI in the UK. Regulation 16 of Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention requires incinerators installed on or after 1st January 2000 to meet type approval and operating limits in order to reduce atmospheric emissions from offshore incineration.

• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) 1973 Annex V, as amended
• The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Sewage and Garbage from Ships) Regulations 2008

These new Regulations implement among other things amendments to Annex V of MARPOL including the prohibition of disposing into the sea of incinerator ashes from plastic products as they may contain toxic or heavy metal residues.

• Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic 1992 (OSPAR Convention)
• Protocol to the 1972 Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1996

Annex II of the OSPAR Convention and the London Dumping Protocol prohibit incineration at sea and prohibits dumping except dredged material, inert material of natural origin, sewage sludge, fish wastes or vessels and aircraft. The dumping of low and intermediate level radioactive substances including wastes is prohibited. Permits are required from the relevant competent authorities before dumping. These requirements do not apply to offshore installations.

• Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (FEPA)
• Deposits in the Sea (Exemptions) Order 1985

The Deposits in the Sea (Exemptions) Order exempts from the requirements of FEPA the incineration on a vessel or marine structure of garbage originating from that vessel or marine structure, but excluding any bulky or industrial waste.

MGN 381 (M+F) Survey and Certification Requirements for the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Regulations 2008

MSN 1734 (M+F) Type Approval of Marine Equipment (EC Notified Bodies)

MSN 1819 (M+F) The Merchant Shipping Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Regulations 2008

MIN 395 - Revised Annex VI of MARPOL: Prevention of Air
Pollution from Ships (pdf file)

Shipboard incinerators installed after 31 December 1999 or if solely in UK waters on or before 18 May 2005 must be approved in accordance with Merchant Shipping Notice 1734 (M+F) and an Approved Type Certificate issued.

A ship with a shipboard incinerator installed on it must at all times carry an operating manual of the manufacturer of that incinerator, which specifies how to operate the incinerator within the limits described in Schedule 5 to Merchant Shipping Notice 1819 (M+F).

Every person responsible for the operation of a shipboard incinerator must be trained and capable of implementing the guidance provided in the manufacturer’s operating manual.

Combustion flue gas outlet temperatures must be monitored at all times and the waste must not be fed into a continuous-feed shipboard incinerator when the temperature is below 850°C.

No batch-loaded shipboard incinerator is to be used if the temperature in the combustion chamber fails to reach 600°C within 5 minutes of start-up.

Regulation 16 of Annex VI prohibits the incineration of

• MARPOL 73/78 Annex I, II and III cargo residues, including related contaminated packaging;
• PCBs;
• Garbage containing more than traces of heavy metals;
• Refined petroleum products containing halogen compounds; and
• PVCs (except in approved incinerators).

The incineration of sewage sludge and sludge oil generated during normal shipboard operations is permitted outside harbour areas.

The combustion flue gas outlet temperature must be monitored at all times.

Not applicable

Not applicable

None at present.