2.2 NOTES ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental pollution is caused by three kinds of polluting agents:

• Water polluters;
• Air polluters;
• Soil polluters.
  

Non oily and black waters (containing only human organic waste) can be discharged into the open sea. In the port area, these must be collected in special tanks and then unloaded either by removal at open sea or by means of appropriate fixed shoreside or truck-mounted emptying systems.
Soil pollution is also caused by discharging waste at shore.
International regulations regarding recreational craft essentially provide for the following:

• During navigation it is forbidden to discharge any non biodegradable product, either of food or commercial origin, into the open sea.
• In ports, normal waste is considered to be similar to urban waste and therefore can be enclosed in plastic bags and disposed of in designated waste bins.
• Special waste must be disposed of into suitable containers or, if these are not available, it must be delivered to local waste disposing areas, in compliance with the norms in force, issued by the local Port Authority.

ENVIRONMENT

During navigation, do not dispose any on-board waste at sea, but keep it and dump it on waste containers ashore.
Remember that it is forbidden to dump oils and fuels into the sea; therefore, it is recommended to clean the engines’ bilges by using absorbent materials to be disposed of later on into dedicated containers.

• The following waste is considered special waste:
• Water and oily mixtures (e.g.: bilge water)
• Oils (fuel, additives and lubricants)
• Poisonous chemical substances (like battery acids, paints, thinners and the relevant containers)
• Spray cans containing C.F.C. gas
• Batteries
• Spent flares
• Expired pharmaceutical products
• Products containing lead or asbestos
• Etc..
• Fuel and oil leaks
• Waste discharge and disposal
• Excessive noise
• Wake / wake from board
• Exhaust fumes
• Paints, detergents and other agents

Please remember that, according to legislation, until such waste is delivered to suitable disposal areas, you will be considered as possessors and therefore indictable in case of unlawful discharge.
Should specific cases be missing in the harbour area, the Authority in charge for the disposal is the Port Authority section “Waste Disposal”.

CAUTION

During navigation, it is always necessary to behave suitably and to respect the safety and the comfort of your guests and of persons on nearby yachts. Therefore:

• Avoid excessive noise;
• Do not leave the engines running for long periods without moving off;
• Do not cruise at high speed or beyond the permitted limits when leaving or entering harbours, marinas, etc.., to prevent causing excessive wash or wave motion.