Grand Soleil 45’
- -
10
Notes on environmental pollution and accident prevention regulations
The following brief summary of the current EC regulations on environmental pollution and accident
prevention is valid only if the boat is used for private use without crew officially employed on
board.
These regulations derive from the
International Convention for the safety of life at sea
signed at
London on the 1
st
of February 1974, and following revisions and modifications.
Environmental pollution and waste disposal
The environmental pollution is divided into three main categories:
Water
Air
Soil
•
Oil-free and black waters (
those containing only human organic wastes
) can be discharged
in open sea. Within costal area they should be kept in suitable tanks and then discharged
either in open sea or through adequate fixed emptying systems available on the quay or by
trucks for sewage draining.
•
The regulations on the air pollution produced by a boat essentially prohibit the use of spray
cans containing C.F.C. gas and limit the external noises that, at a distance of 5 m from the
perimeter of the boat, should not exceed 65 dB (a) (decibels) from 6h to 22h and 55 dB (a)
from 22h to 6h.
•
The soil pollution concerns the wastes discharged on land.
The EC regulation n. 91/689 concerning pleasure boats provides as follows:
•
While sailing, it is forbidden to discharge into the sea any kind of non-biodegradable
products, both foodstuffs and commercial products.
•
Within costal area “
normal wastes
” are considered the same as “
urban wastes
” and
therefore can be kept in hermetic plastic bags and then thrown into the trash bins.
•
The “
special wastes
” must be placed into suitable containers or, if not available, given to the
local collectors in conformity with the current regulations issued by the local harbour-
master’s office. These special wastes are:
-
oily waters and mixtures (
such as bilge water
)
-
black and/or grey waters from toilet or sinks
-
oils (
fuels, additives and lubricants
)
-
chemical substances labelled “
TOXIC-NOXIOUS
” (
battery acid, paints, thinners,
including their containers
)
-
spray cans containing C.F.C. gas
-
exhausted batteries in general
-
expired flares
-
expired medicines
-
products containing lead, mercury or asbestos
-
etc.
