Marine Sanitation Devices
26th January 2009 by Boating Laws No CommentsMarine Sanitation Devices
Marine sanitation devices are required by the law to be installed in any vessel operating on coastal areas. They cover any equipment that is designed to store and treat sewage and perform processes to discharge it properly.
The marine sanitation devices have two varieties namely the flowthrough or no-discharge. Flowthrough treats the waste and releases it into the water while the no-discharge type keeps the water on the ship or treats it in a method to ensure that there is no release into the water. The second type is used for places where there is a no discharge zone. The most common type of device used is the tank system. The main characteristics that must be looked into are ease of use, resistant to corrosion so that it will not breakdown easily, easy to install, and lightweight so that it will not take so much space and weight in the vehicle. Aside from tanks, there are vacuum collection systems, composting systems, and incineration systems. The marine sanitation devices are not approved but certified by the coast guard.
All the marine sanitation devices must meet the regulations of the government. Among these standards is certification from an authorized governing body, appropriate capacity, and suitable type of discharge. Also, the marine sanitation devices must be sealed in a safe manner so that leakage will be prevented. Some of the recommended methods are padlocking the valves of the tanks in very tight positions, locking the doors with a keylock, and securing the handles of the valves.
