With respect to provisions to be included in the imple- 

 menting rules, the Commission recommended that the Coast 

 Guard: (a) define the term "disposal" to include the loss of 

 garbage into the sea due to improper handling and storage 

 aboard ship as well as intentional disposal of garbage over 

 the side; (b) provide a regulatory definition of "plastics" 

 that cites examples of wastes that are particularly hazardous 

 to marine life and aesthetic guality; (c) consider steps to 

 inform ship operators of the availability, location, and 

 proper use of port reception facilities when assessing the 

 adeguacy of such facilities; (d) reguire large ports and 

 marinas serving commercial and recreational vessels using 

 only U.S. waters to obtain Certificates of Adeguacy; and 

 (e) consider developing operational guidelines for handling, 

 processing, and storing garbage aboard ship to encourage and 

 facilitate the use of procedures and technology that would 

 enhance compliance with Annex V and the amended Act. 



In its letter, the Commission also noted that it was 

 cooperating with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

 Administration's National Ocean Pollution Program Office to 

 support a study to assess available information on marine 

 debris in several areas, including the Gulf of Mexico and the 

 Caribbean Sea. The Commission noted that the final report of 

 that study would be useful for considering possible designation 

 of the Gulf of Mexico as a Special Area under Annex V and 

 stated that it would forward a copy of the report to the 

 Coast Guard when it became available. 



In the Federal Register of 27 October 1988, the Coast 

 Guard published proposed rules to implement MARPOL Annex V. 

 The proposed rules addressed most of the Commission's comments 

 although they did not include provisions for reguiring Certifi- 

 cates of Adeguacy for large ports and marinas servicing commer- 

 cial and recreational vessels which only ply U.S. waters. At 

 the end of 1988, it was the Commission's understanding that 

 final rules would be published by the Coast Guard early in 1989. 



International Activities 



Plastic debris enters the world's oceans from ships and 

 shores of all coastal nations. Many of the most harmful 

 plastic materials may drift with ocean currents hundreds or 

 thousands of miles from their points of origin. Therefore, 

 successful resolution of the marine debris problem reguires 

 cooperative action at the international level. To facilitate 

 responsive international actions, the Commission, in cooperation 

 with other agencies and organizations, undertook the following 

 actions in 1988. 



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