ICW confusion..........help!

[Fascadale]

I’m considering a short visit to Ulster from mainland UK by yacht

It seems there are, on paper at least, serious issues regarding the disposal of food waste from this voyage

The relevant government guidelines on this issue say:

(ICW is International Catering Waste. The guidelines say private yachts are included in this scheme)

“ICW includes all food waste from planes, vehicles or ships travelling internationally and within EU territory. Food waste from planes, vehicles or ships is classified domestic catering waste when:

operating within the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man

travelling from Northern Ireland to Great Britain

In accordance with the Northern Ireland protocol, the EU classifies food waste from planes, vehicles or ships travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland as ICW.”

Am I correct in being confused by this? Are my potato peelings to be ICW or not?

Here are the guidelines
Handling and disposing of international catering waste

 

[matt1]

I doubt your boat is classed as a ship under these regs. So I’d think you are fine, or could at least plead ignorance.

 

[Fascadale]

I doubt your boat is classed as a ship under these regs. So I’d think you are fine, or could at least plead ignorance.

Unfortunately yachts are covered by this

The document says:

“International catering waste (ICW) is food waste from international transport vehicles including:

cruise ships
airlines
private or commercial yachts and boats
armed forces ships and submarines
ferries”

Whilst I do think it very likely that these regulations will be completely ignored on both sides of the Irish Sea at the same time I do not wish to become the centre of some “incident” purposefully provoked to prove a political point.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

It seems to apply only to food which is not still intended to be eaten, so I presume food eaten in its entirety is ok, but not so sure about the packaging it comes in. Following the rules entirely for pleasure boats looks impractical - how are we going to clean our waste containers with a DEFRA approved disinfectant? I guess for us to comply completely the only way is to travel to NI or back without any food that generates waste. Fray Bentos pies it is.

I expect every marina will be bemused if you wave that form at them on arrival, but it says you must.

 

[Stemar]

Fray Bentos pies it is

Still got the tin to get rid of! And I suspect that vomit will be considered clinical waste, and if you think food waste rules are onerous...

My way round it would be to arrive with a minimum of food on board and keep any waste generated from it aboard. If it comes from an NI shop, presumably it's just domestic waste. OTOH, it's now on a UK boat, so that could go horribly wrong if the regs aren't drafted sensibly, and how much would you bet on regs. or anything to do with NI, Brexit and the EU making any sense?

 

[Quandary]

Its Norn Irn, they may be bigoted but they are not stupid, daft regulations are even more likely to be ignored than sensible ones. The Irish tradition is only to obey those laws that suit you.

 

[Stemar]

But a great way to protest daft rules is to bring the system down by enforcing them to the letter.

 

[Bilgediver]

I doubt your boat is classed as a ship under these regs. So I’d think you are fine, or could at least plead ignorance.

People may turn a blind eye but the rules do cover us too.

Many Many years ago ships had to develop Garbage Disposal Plans which involved Ports having to provide reception facilities. This even found its way to marinas eventually. Admittedly some marinas may provide basic facilities however bags of food waste would fit with the description of one of the coloured commercial bins provided for this purpose. Might be worth speaking to your marina. Dolphins and friends may not appreciate soggy second hand chips.

 

[dunedin]

Its Norn Irn, they may be bigoted but they are not stupid, daft regulations are even more likely to be ignored than sensible ones. The Irish tradition is only to obey those laws that suit you.

Except that a believe some NI bureaucrat has been writing to sailing clubs and marinas to tell them they have to make arrangements to cover this stuff from yavhts visiting from GB.
So yes Plan A would be to keep head down and be pragmatic, but the organisations based in NI are put in a very difficult position.

 

[Gary Fox]

I don't understand the question. Why would you arrive anywhere with food waste? Apart from plastic, galley gash goes overboard. It won't reach the seabed, there are hungry mouths waiting.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

I don't understand the question. Why would you arrive anywhere with food waste? Apart from plastic, galley gash goes overboard. It won't reach the seabed, there are hungry mouths waiting.

Buy bananas in mainland UK. Sail to NI. Eat a banana on arrival. Unless you're following a Nigella recipe & eat the skin you have imported food waste.

 

[dunedin]

I don't understand the question. Why would you arrive anywhere with food waste? Apart from plastic, galley gash goes overboard. It won't reach the seabed, there are hungry mouths waiting.

Is it legal to dump food waste overboard in UK coastal waters? Not sure it is.

 

[Gary Fox]

Buy bananas in mainland UK. Sail to NI. Eat a banana on arrival. Unless you're following a Nigella recipe & eat the skin you have imported food waste.

Thanks for explaining. What a time to be alive!

 

[Gary Fox]

Is it legal to dump food waste overboard in UK coastal waters? Not sure it is.

Maybe not, for big ships.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Is it legal to dump food waste overboard in UK coastal waters? Not sure it is.

It's all in MARPOL annex V, summarised below:

1 Polar regions, no
2 Other regions more than 12 miles from shore, yes
3 Less than 3 miles from shore, no.
4 Between 3 & 12 miles, yes if ground up unless a special area
5 Special areas (North Sea, English Channel in the UK) less than 12 miles from shore, no.

 

[Bilgediver]

Might have that problem arriving in Oz too .

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Might have that problem arriving in Oz too .

Of course. It's not new generally, only new between UK mainland & near neighbours. It's not alone between different parts of the same country either. I got a telling off trying to take a papaya from Hawaii to mainland USA. The customs man threatened to confiscate it unless I ate it on the spot, which I did.

 

[Bilgediver]

Of course. It's not new generally, only new between UK mainland & near neighbours. It's not alone between different parts of the same country either. I got a telling off trying to take a papaya from Hawaii to mainland USA. The customs man threatened to confiscate it unless I ate it on the spot, which I did.

Friend of mine was denied that option at Fremantle after a passage from Capetown and had to hand of notes of a certain value also covered a couple of uncooked spuds.

 

[Gary Fox]

Friend of mine was denied that option at Fremantle after a passage from Capetown and had to hand of notes of a certain value also covered a couple of uncooked spuds.

A useful revenue stream. 'that potato feels a bit under-done, that'll be a hundred bucks per spud to you,cobber' Tw@ts

 

[Stemar]

Tw@ts maybe, but tw@ts with the ability to issue fines. Don't know about you, but I try to avoid fines