Waste Management Plan

Waste Reception

Legislation

All vessels, however small, generate waste of some description. The waste may be oil, noxious, cargo residues, kitchen waste, sewage or garbage. The Marpol 73/78 Convention aimed at preventing all types of pollution entering the rivers and seas, governs the safe and responsible disposal of this waste.

The Merchant Shipping (Port Waste Reception Facilities) Regulations requires all ports, terminal and marinas throughout the UK to produce a plan detailing how they organise and provide port reception facilities for Marpol designated waste. Each port operator is required to prepare a plan for the approval by the local office of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. These plans detail how the operators organise and provide port waste reception facilities.

The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions have produced a guidance publication "Port Waste Management Planning – How to do it". Copies are available from the PLA. The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) has a guidance publication "Port Waste Management Planning, A guide for marina operators and coastal clubs". Copies are available from the RYA.

Who Provides the Waste Reception Facilities

The provision of reception facilities for Marpol waste within the Port of London is the responsibility of the operators of the individual terminals, piers, marinas, yacht clubs, houseboats and port services businesses. Supported by the PLA, each operator has prepared its own waste management plan. The PLA as the statutory navigational authority for the tidal Thames, has assumed the role of facilitator and co-ordinator of the Port of London Waste Management Plan. It has provided operators with guidance and information on how to prepare a plan to meet the requirements of the legislation.

Each operator has a waste management plan which gives details of how and where to dispose of waste. Operators also have a responsibility to ensure that each ship or craft knows what to expect when it arrives at a berth or other facility. Most operators have information sheets as part of their plan which explains the arrangements that exist of each type of waste. This includes information on where facilities are located on site together with a map, contact details of approved waste contractors, charges that apply, and any notice required.

Are there any charges for this service?

Individual operators determine charges for the use of their waste reception facilities. The majority of owners do not charge ships or other craft for the disposal of garbage, provided the volume is reasonable. However, a charge may be applied for the disposal of large quantities of waste.

Complaints Procedure

The PLA has a reporting system for ships’ masters and craft owners to communicate any shortfalls in waste reception facilities within the port. The system operates by means of Freepost cards distributed to masters by shipping agents and to craft owners through the various clubs marinas and liaisons groups. Using these cards the master or owner can indicate the nature of the inadequacy, the type of waste to be discharged, and whether the ship or craft notified the terminal of its need to access facilities. When a complain is received by the PLA, it notifies the operator so that the problem can be resolved, and if necessary, follows this with a visit to the facility to discuss improvements to the waste reception provisions.

Port of London Waste Management Plan

Reference copies of the Port Waste Management Plan are available at the PLA offices in London and Gravesend.

Also see the following classifications in Port Community Services: Waste Carriers (Licensed), Waste Oil Reception, Waste Transfer Station Operators.