Spencer Vrieze
8/19/2012
Period 4 The Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) was amended by the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987, which implemented the provisions of Annex V of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) relating to garbage and plastics. Annex V of MARPOL and the regulations implementing it apply to all vessels, whether seagoing or not, regardless of flag, on the navigable waters of the U.S. and in the exclusive economic zone of the U.S. It applies to U.S. flag vessels wherever they are located. Under the regulations implementing APPS as ammended by MPPRCA, the discharge of plastics, including synthetic ropes, fishing nets, plastic bags, and biodegradable plastics, into the water is prohibited. Discharge of floating dunnage, lining, and packing materials is prohibited in the navigable waters and in areas offshore less than 25 nautical miles from the nearest land. Food waste or paper, rags, glass, metal, bottles, crockery, and similar refuse cannot be discharged in the navigable waters or in waters offshore inside 12 nautical miles from the nearest land. Finally, food waste, paper, rags, glass, and similar refuse cannot be discharged in the navigable waters or in waters offshore inside three nautical miles from the nearest land. There are some exceptions for emergencies. Under APPS, the definition of ship includes fixed or floating platforms. There are separate garbage discharge provisions
