Marpol Annex V

Annex V defines both 'garbage' and each individual garbage type, in order to provide clarity and prevent ambiguity.^[2]

Garbage means all kinds of food wastes, domestic wastes and operational wastes, all plastics, cargo residues, incinerator ashes, cooking oil, fishing gear, and animal carcasses generated during the normal operation of the ship and liable to be disposed of continuously or periodically except those substances which are defined or listed in other Annexes to the present Convention. Garbage does not include fresh fish and parts thereof generated as a result of fishing activities undertaken during the voyage, or as a result of aquaculture activities which involve the transport of fish including shellfish for placement in the aquaculture facility and the transport of harvested fish including shellfish from such facilities to shore for processing.

Marpol establishes "Special Areas", which is defined in Marpol as sea areas which "for technical reasons relating to their oceanographical and ecological condition and to their sea traffic, the adoption of special mandatory methods for the prevention of sea pollution is required". Under the Convention, these special areas are provided with a higher level of protection than other areas of the sea.^[3]