—Law or regulation, —Highly recommended, —Recommended / Maryland Clean Marina Guidebook 53
Waste Containment and Disposal
Environmental Concerns
All marinas generate some waste; waste that could threaten human health,
be hazardous to wildlife, and be costly to coastal communities.
Solid waste, particularly plastics, must be contained. There are many well-
documented instances of marine mammals, fish, turtles, and seabirds that
have become entangled in or choked on plastic marine debris. Plastics
also represent a hazard to navigation as they can snare propellers and clog
engine intake systems. Divers are, likewise, susceptible to entanglement.
Furthermore, solid waste that washes up on shore is unattractive and may
be costly to remove.
In addition to solid waste, marina operators must be concerned about the
proper collection and disposal of liquid wastes and of corrosive, reactive,
toxic, and/or ignitable materials, i.e., hazardous wastes.
Legal Setting
Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act
The Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987 (MPPRCA),
Title II of Public Law 100-220, restricts the overboard discharge of
garbage. Its primary emphasis is on plastics; it is illegal to discharge plastic
materials into any waterbody. The disposal of other types of garbage is
restricted according to how far a vessel is out to sea. The important thing to
remember is that within the Chesapeake and coastal bays, along rivers, and
on inland lakes, the discharge of any garbage into the water is illegal. Fish
scraps are an exception. The discharge of fish waste into Maryland waters is
not desirable, however.
The law also requires that marinas be able to accept garbage from vessels
that normally do business with them.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and State Hazardous Waste Laws
The Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 was
established to improve the collection, transportation, separation, recovery,
and disposal of solid and hazardous waste. Both RCRA