(i) Garbage:

Under MARPOL Annex V, "garbage" includes all kinds of food, domestic, and operational waste, all plastics, cargo residues, incinerator ashes, cooking oil, fishing gear, and animal carcasses generated during the normal operation of the ship and liable to be disposed of continuously or periodically. It explicitly does not include fresh fish and parts thereof generated as a result of fishing activities undertaken during the voyage or as a result of aquaculture activities.

The different types of garbage generated on board a ship, as per MARPOL Annex V, include:

• Plastics: All plastic materials such as bags, bottles, packaging materials, and fishing gear.
• Food Wastes: Leftover food, food preparation waste, and food packaging materials.
• Domestic Wastes: Non-plastic waste generated from living quarters, such as paper, cardboard, glass, metal, and clothing.
• Cooking Oil: Used cooking oil and other oily waste generated from the galley.
• Incinerator Ashes: Ash residue from the incineration of garbage, excluding plastic products.
• Operational Wastes: Waste generated during the operation of the ship, such as cleaning agents, paint chips, and maintenance waste.
• Animal Carcasses: The remains of animals found on board, such as birds or fish.
• Fishing Gear: Discarded or lost fishing nets, lines, and other fishing equipment.
• E-waste: Electronic waste generated on board, such as old computers, printers, and communication devices.
• Cargo Residues (mentioned in the general definition).

(ii) Nearest land:

For the purposes of MARPOL Annex V, "nearest land" is defined as the baseline from which the territorial sea of a coastal state is established. However, in the case of Australia, "nearest land" is taken to mean the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef, not the Australian mainland.

(iii) Special areas:

Special areas are sea areas where, for recognized technical reasons relating to their oceanographic and ecological condition and the particular character of traffic (such as heavy maritime traffic, low water exchange, extreme ice states, endangered marine species, etc.), the adoption of special mandatory methods for the prevention of marine pollution by garbage is required.

The special areas established under Annex V are:

• The Mediterranean Sea area
• The Baltic Sea area
• The Black Sea area
• The Red Sea area
• The Gulf area
• The North Sea area
• The Wider Caribbean Region
• The Antarctic area

1. Garbage Management Plan (GMP)

• Every ship of 100 GT and above (from 1 May 2024) and any ship certified to carry 15 or more persons must have a ship-specific GMP.
• The GMP must include procedures for collecting, storing, processing, and disposing of garbage.
• It must also cover crew training procedures and be available in the working language of the ship.

2. Garbage Record Book (GRB)

• Required for:
  • Ships ≥100 GT
  • Ships carrying 15 or more persons
• All entries must be in accordance with the MARPOL Annex V guidelines and include:
  • Date and time of discharge
  • Position (latitude and longitude)
  • Category of garbage discharged
  • Estimated quantity (by volume or weight)
  • Method of discharge (e.g., to reception facility or another ship)
  • Remarks if any
  • Signature, name, and rank of the officer in charge
• Receipts from shore facilities must be retained for garbage landed ashore.
• The GRB must be signed by the Master of the vessel.

3. Garbage Disposal Regulations (Outside Special Areas)

4. Compliance and Inspection

• Inspectors will check for:
  • Presence of a valid GMP
  • Properly maintained GRB
  • Proper segregation and storage of garbage
  • Evidence of legal discharge practices
  • Proper crew training
  • Master’s involvement in waste management