Hazardous Waste Management in Harbors

Harbor operators have made great strides in cleaning up their facilities and raising the awareness of users concerning pollution. Unfortunately many harbor customers are still unaware of their impact to the environment caused by the improper disposal of chemicals or incorrect maintenance procedures. Dispose of used motor oil, antifreeze, contaminated fuels, fishing nets and lines, batteries, and packaging only in specially designated containers. If specific containers for hazardous substances are not found, don’t dump these materials until you consult with your harbor staff. Routine activities like engine oil changes, hull cleaning, painting and fueling can introduce harmful chemicals into the environment if they are not properly conducted.


Across the United States, marinas and harbors have begun to use what are called Best Management Practices (BMP), which are actions that can be used to prevent or reduce the level of pollutants discharged into the soil, air and water. Pollution in a harbor comes from the many different products like diesel fuel, bottom paint, solvents and ethylene glycol that collectively find their way into our water.

The most current version of Alaska's BMPs can be viewed at the Alaska Coastal Management Program.

Used Oil is the most prevalent waste product that is routinely handled and disposed of in marinas. The line between used oil being a useful product and a hazardous waste is a fine one. How the oil is handled will determine whether the product is disposed of freely or if you or the harbor are required to pay for disposal of it as a hazardous waste. Used oil must be protected from contamination with other substances. This includes gasoline, antifreeze, water and solvents.

Contaminated fuel or water is a common problem in harbors and can be difficult to deal with properly. Oily bilge water that can’t be readily treated on-shore is often pumped overboard. There are several solutions for dealing with this problem.

Prevention is by far the easiest method of handling contaminated fuel or water. Fuel vents on vessels should be designed to not allow rainwater to enter the fuel tank. The same can be said of fuel caps. Keeping fuel tanks nearly full reduces condensation of water and also improves vessel stability. There is also value in the proper labeling of fuel, hydraulic and water tanks. Diesel fuel has been pumped into water tanks and gasoline pumped into diesel tanks. This creates a terrible mess to clean up long after the mistake occurs.

Oily bilges can be prevented in several ways as well. Proper maintenance and replacement of filters, tight connections and adequate surveillance will prevent many leaks into the bilge. Treatment options on a boat include placement of adsorbent socks, crankcase vent filters and active bilge pump filter systems.

Fishing Line, Fishing Nets and Plastics - Used gillnet and fishing line poses a number of problems. These materials do not break down readily in the environment. Nets are bulky and don’t compress well when buried in a landfill. Discarded gillnets and fishing lines are a serious hazard to wildlife like sea otters that can become entrapped in the net or shorebirds that become entangles in fishing lines.

Liquid and Aerosol Paints – Harbors and boaters should be especially interested in anti-fouling bottom paint that used on vessels in their boat yards. Anti-fouling paints by their very design are toxic and meant to suppress the growth of marine organisms. Paint runoff, overspray and chips can build up in the environment and cause potentially large cleanup bills. Technology is providing improvements to bottom paints and there are now products on the market that limit adhesive of marine growth to hulls rather attempting to poison them. The most common biocide agent in use at this time is copper.

Liquid and Aerosol Paint Best Management Practices

• Use anti-fouling paints containing the minimum amount of toxin necessary for the expected conditions.
  
• Avoid the use of soft ablative paints and use water based paints where possible
• Minimize the use of spray-painting equipment on vessels. Use brushes and rollers whenever possible.
• Tarp or shroud vessels to avoid overspray or runoff of paint unto the ground or into the harbor.
• Use a designated area to mix paints, solvents and reducers.
• Purchase only enough paint to complete the job.
• Allow empty paint cans to dry out completely prior to disposal.

Tags: BMP Environment Boating Clean Marinas Harbors