new laws on holding tanks in the Netherlands

H

heerenleed

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www.heerenleed.com
As I promised a while ago, I would keep you all posted where dutch wastewater legislation is concerned. It seems to be final now, though nobody seems to really know when or by whom the new law has been approved. Anyway, as from next year, all NEW boats in the Netherlands must have a holding tank, and existing boats have until 2009 to retrofit.

How the pumping out facilities in the Netherlands should cope is a mystery to me, as there are a lot of places that don't have them.

But as a friend of mine put it recently: man is the only animal that is no longer allowed to p and p in nature........
Except if you have a really big boat, of course. Professional shipping is exempt from the new rules.

cheers
Peter
 
hmm.. I support the idea of holding tanks in marinas and anchorages - I dont want to swim in someone elses sewage...

but what I dont understand is why is the recreational boater targeted and not the commercial operator? I am sure the feces of the fisherman is just as nasty as mine...

!!
 
It MAY be that the reason commercial vessels are exempt is because they're already subject to rules of international treaties (notably the MARPOL treaty) and any EU regulations that apply to commercial vessels in all European waters. Any one country's laws that might differ of conflict with internation or EU regs could create a real can of worms.

Here in the US, federal law specifically prohibits any invidual state from enacting laws that supercede applicable federal law, for recreational vessels as well as commercial vessels, for just that reason. So the Dutch may have just been smart to specifically exclude commercial vessels from their new recreational vessel law.

What I will NEVER understand, though, is how so many countries (and most of our own states) can enact laws requiring boats to install and use tanks, but without first requiring all marinas that house a minimum number of boats with toilets to install pumpout facilities. Without adequate pumpout facilities--or ANY--all that does is increase the amounts that overboard in one place from a flush at a time that includes nothing but waste to gallons of waste AND toxic chemicals...'cuz when the tank gets full, it has to be emptied somehow...and if the only way to empty it is to dump it illegally, that's what people will have to do.
 
Peter,
Saw you outside the locks at Benedensas ay the end of last
month.We were tied up beside the grass area.
I liked your emergency full astern when the other boat pushed his way out.
This has nothing to do with holding tanks, but what the hell !!.
JC
 
Peter may contradict me, but I'm sure it will. The laws in all other countries affect ALL vessels, local and transient, so I can't imagine that the Dutch will do things any differently.
 
Yes Peggie, I must contradict you. I'm sure that at some stage these laws will be for commercial vessels as well, but for now they remain exempt. I think (knowing the way this government handles things) that the authorities are afraid of too much protests from commercial shipping. They still don't see that leasure boating supports a part of our economy larger than commercial shipping. This has been proven but the authorities keep closing their eyes on this. Anyway, this is the way things are for now. It's proposterous, but true

cheers
 
Hello Cass123
I remember you on that occasion. The rediculous Mobo had ignored a red light his side of the locks, I had green. Idiot....
Thank heavens Heerenleed has got a powerful engine. I hope I gave the Mobo a good shock. He deserved it...

Benedensas is a good spot to spend some time eeh?

BTW: in 2009 you will need a holding tank too. Knowing Wibos (we had a 930 long time ago) there's a lot of space in the keel to put one

cheers
 
It will probably just apply to boats registered in the Netherlands, possibly even foreign boats if the have permanent moorings in the Netherlands (there are many Belgians and Germans keeping their boats in the NL). I'm sure they can't enforce it on foreign boats. As a UK resident, UK laws apply to you, and not Dutch.
cheers
 
What about commercial ships that cruise the River Rhine?. No, it's all quite rediculous, but true. I think the authorities will have a lot to explain that will be very difficult to explain.
cheers
 
Morning Peter,
Yes saw you had a green light. Also remember the word
Kloot......k being shouted ( I guess by you).
There's a notice up at our marina (De Heen) about 2009.
Our wibo has a block keel and you are correct,with plenty
of space for a holding tank, but it's the pipework and deck access that worries me. Am contemplating simply replacing
the system with a reserve porta-pottie left over from our
last caravan.

JC
 
What about help with fitting a tank?

I keep hearing rumours of a subsidy of 350 Euros (at least in Limbourg) to help pay for retrofitting holding tanks. Do you know how this works?
 
What about Bucket and Chuckit?

Thanks for keeping us informed.
We do not have a toilet on board and all human waste goes into a utensil and then straight over the side. How will the the new rules affect us? ( I hope the answer is not constipation!).
 
Re: What about Bucket and Chuckit?

I seem to remember reading that while it is not illegal to pee over the side, to do so into a bucket then empty it overside is. Or maybe that was just in the US.
 
Peter

I think when you refer to commercial vessels you may be refering to vessels of less than 300 tons...ALL international vessels over 300 tons comply with international rules and do have holding tanks and or sewage systems so they can comply with world wide laws.. Most passenger ships also have grey water systems too as this is also a requirement in many parts of the world.

The law you refer to as Netherlands law by the way is probably something from Brussels as also in the UK similar moves are afoot...I seem to remember the law was actually brought in some time ago ... Peggy I think I faxed you the MArine notice some moons ago??? But to date has not been enforced..What appears to be happening is that we are now being told, and not only the Dutch that these laws are now going to be enforced.

I shall try and see if I can find the MArine Notice on this on the MCA site but I certainly had a copy in my PooP file before moving office some years ago.

All boats now being built to European RCD ( Recreational Craft Directive ) have to have holding tanks and this is effective from 1998 and also applies to all boats brought into the UK since 1998.




John
 
All boats now being built to European RCD ( Recreational Craft Directive ) have to have holding tanks and this is effective from 1998 and also applies to all boats brought into the UK since 1998.

Surely not so if the boat is not fitted with a toilet or supplied with a Portapotti type?
 
Re: new laws on holding tanks in UK

I would be grateful if you could post the reference to the need for holding tanks to be fitted to UK based yachts; it might be the incentive I need to get down to the boat and start fitting one to mine!
 
[ QUOTE ]
How the pumping out facilities in the Netherlands should cope is a mystery to me, as there are a lot of places that don't have them.

[/ QUOTE ]

Peter
On my only visit to the delightful Netherlands this year i couldnt find any marinas with pump out facilities.
Is there a resource that shows where they are?
Im not too happy about doing the naughty thing but if you cant find anywhere.....

Doug
 
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