United Nations garbage warning signs enforced in Australia January 1

NEW United Nations regulations will be enforced by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) that ships of 12 metres or more display a garbage disposal warning placard from January 1.

As of January, new international regulations will come into effect, which means if one has an existing AMSA-distributed placard received before December 2012, it will be required to replace it with an updated placard, warns GAC Hot Port News.

For the UN's International Maritime Organisation ( IMO) standards to be binding, they must be ratified by a total number of member countries whose combined gross tonnage represents at least 50 per cent of the world's gross tonnage unless no objections are heard from a member state after which it is assumed they have assented to the regulations, said the Wikipedia entry on the UN's MARPOL (marine pollution) treaty.

The warning placard is to notify the crew and passengers of the regulations associated with the discharge of garbage into the sea. Placards should be displayed on the vessel where it is visible for both crew and passengers. AMSA has developed three categories of placards that will assist owners and operators to comply.