How Do Yachts Deal With Sewage?

Annex IV of the sewage regulations for yachts with a gross tonnage equal to or over 400GT or carrying more than 15 people came into force in 2003 and was last revised in 2005. Sewage pollution control has been an environmental initiative since its inception. Marine sanitation systems, such as black water, gray water, and bilge water, are now mandatory in most countries to be pumped ashore rather than disposed of at sea.

Waste-to-energy technology is being developed to reduce landfill use and produce renewable energy. UK legislation around waste management has generally been transposed from International Directives established by the international maritime community. In No Discharge Areas or inland, waste can be treated and kept in holding tanks for onshore pumpout. In coastal areas, pumpout is available if onshore facilities are available or treated waste can be discharged overboard. Offshore, waste can be treated and discharged overboard.

The most common setup in new production boats is for all waste to go directly into the holding tank, which will have a pipe and deck. The sludge that remains on board after treatment makes up only two to four percent of the total. Solutions include Evac® vacuum collection, dry, wet, and food waste, as well as wastewater treatment systems. HEM® freshwater solutions are also available.

To legally dispose of sewage, boaters must either have an on-board treatment device (Type I or Type II MSD) or a holding tank (Type III MSD) to hold the waste. HAMANN is the global market leader for yacht sewage system components, known for high quality, reliability, performance, and top customer support.