-CITE-

33 USC CHAPTER 38 - DUMPING OF MEDICAL WASTE BY PUBLIC

VESSELS 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 33 - NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS

CHAPTER 38 - DUMPING OF MEDICAL WASTE BY PUBLIC VESSELS

-HEAD-

CHAPTER 38 - DUMPING OF MEDICAL WASTE BY PUBLIC VESSELS

-MISC1-

Sec.

2501. Findings.

2502. Definitions.

2503. Prohibition.

2504. Guidance.

-End-

-CITE-

33 USC Sec. 2501 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 33 - NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS

CHAPTER 38 - DUMPING OF MEDICAL WASTE BY PUBLIC VESSELS

-HEAD-

Sec. 2501. Findings

-STATUTE-

The Congress finds the following:

(1) The washing ashore of potentially infectious medical wastes

from public vessels of the United States may pose serious and

widespread risks to public health and to the welfare of coastal

communities.

(2) Current Federal law provides inadequate protections against

the disposal of such wastes from such vessels into ocean waters.

(3) Operators of such vessels must take immediate action to

stop disposing of such wastes into ocean waters.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 100-688, title III, Sec. 3102, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat.

4152.)

-MISC1-

SHORT TITLE

Section 3101 of subtitle A [Secs. 3101-3105] of title III of Pub.

L. 100-688 provided that: "This subtitle [enacting this chapter]

may be cited as the 'United States Public Vessel Medical Waste

Anti-Dumping Act of 1988'."

-End-

-CITE-

33 USC Sec. 2502 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 33 - NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS

CHAPTER 38 - DUMPING OF MEDICAL WASTE BY PUBLIC VESSELS

-HEAD-

Sec. 2502. Definitions

-STATUTE-

For the purposes of this chapter:

(1) Potentially infectious medical waste

The term "potentially infectious medical waste" includes

isolation wastes; infectious agents; human blood and blood

products; pathological wastes; sharps; body parts; contaminated

bedding; surgical wastes; and other disposable medical equipment

and material that may pose a risk to the public health, welfare

or the marine environment.

(2) Public vessel

The term "public vessel" means a vessel of any type whatsoever

(including hydrofoils, air-cushion vehicles, submersibles,

floating craft whether propelled or not, and fixed or floating

platforms) that is owned, or demise chartered, and operated by

the United States Government, and is not engaged in commercial

service.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 100-688, title III, Sec. 3103, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat.

4152.)

-End-

-CITE-

33 USC Sec. 2503 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 33 - NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS

CHAPTER 38 - DUMPING OF MEDICAL WASTE BY PUBLIC VESSELS

-HEAD-

Sec. 2503. Prohibition

-STATUTE-

After 6 months after November 18, 1988, no public vessel shall

dispose of potentially infectious medical waste into ocean waters

unless -

(1)(A) the health or safety of individuals on board the vessel

is threatened; or

(B) during time of war or a declared national emergency;

(2) the waste is disposed of beyond 50 nautical miles from the

nearest land; and

(3)(A) in the case of a public vessel which is not a

submersible, the waste is sterilized, properly packaged, and

sufficiently weighted to prevent the waste from coming ashore

after disposal; and

(B) in the case of a public vessel which is a submersible, the

waste is properly packaged and sufficiently weighted to prevent

the waste from coming ashore after disposal.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 100-688, title III, Sec. 3104, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat.

4152.)

-SECREF-

SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS

This section is referred to in section 2504 of this title.

-End-

-CITE-

33 USC Sec. 2504 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 33 - NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS

CHAPTER 38 - DUMPING OF MEDICAL WASTE BY PUBLIC VESSELS

-HEAD-

Sec. 2504. Guidance

-STATUTE-

Not later than 3 months after November 18, 1988, the Secretary of

Defense and the head of each affected agency, in consultation with

the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall

each issue guidance for public vessels under the jurisdiction of

their agency regarding implementation of section 2503 of this

title.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 100-688, title III, Sec. 3105, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat.

4153.)

-End-