PurgingStoresandGarbage.pdf

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Procedures for Purging Stores and APHIS Regulated Garbage

Garbage is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on vessels arriving from foreign countries or Hawaii, U.S. territories or possessions to prevent the introduction of harmful animal and plant diseases and pests under Title 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 330.400-330.401 and Title 9 CFR 94.5. Vessels may remove or “purge” their stores and garbage and disinfect, if required, to attain “domestic status.” By purging their stores and garbage, vessel owners are provided an opportunity to reduce their costs associated with garbage removal. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) personnel are responsible for overseeing maritime vessel purges. Please contact local CBP for information on purging U.S. military vessels.

If there are sufficient CBP or PPQ resources available, a maritime vessel can be purged when it is in a continental U.S. port. Vessel owners wishing to have their vessel arriving from foreign countries purged must contact the local CBP office. CBP port offices can be found on the CBP website at http://cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/.

Vessels may also be purged while in a port in Hawaii or a U.S. territory or possession if PPQ, CBP or APHIS designated inspectors are available. However, the purge is only valid while in Hawaii or the U.S. territory or possession where the purge occurred.

Owners of vessels traveling solely between Hawaii or Puerto Rico and the continental United States should contact the local PPQ State Plant Director’s office for information.

PPQ State Plant Health Directors’ contact information is found on the APHIS website at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/services/report_pest_disease/report_pest_disease.shtml.

Purging allows the garbage generated later onboard to be disposed of without being incinerated or sterilized if either of the following conditions is met:

1. Vessel has not been in any port outside the continental United States and Canada within the previous 2 years¹; or

2. Vessel has disposed of all of the following items:

A. Meat and meat products regardless of origin, except shelf -stable canned meat/poultry² B. Fresh and condensed milk and cream from countries in which foot-and-mouth disease exists C. Fresh eggs D. Fresh fruits and vegetables³ E. All garbage aboard the vessel³ http://cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/� http://www.aphis.usda.gov/services/report_pest_disease/report_pest_disease.shtml�

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Crew quarters and any other possible locations are also inspected for items that need to be purged.

Procedures for purging:

1. CBP or PPQ personnel will monitor the purging of the vessel’s regulated stores and garbage and subsequent cleaning and disinfection.

A. All garbage is removed from the vessel. The purging of both regulated animal products and produce is required. If the vessel calls only at a U.S. Territory or Hawaiian port and has not visited a foreign port within the previous two years, then only the regulated produce (i.e. fresh fruits and vegetables) needs to be removed and the animal products are allowed to remain onboard.

B. The purged material is incinerated, sterilized, or transferred to another vessel.

C. If transfer of meat and poultry stores to another vessel is the option selected for purging; the transfer is done under the direct supervision of a CBP Agriculture Specialist⁴ D. Following disposal, all storerooms and locations which held the previously purged materials must be cleaned and disinfected under direct supervision by a CBP Agriculture Specialist or PPQ personnel. No cleaning and disinfection of the stores area is required if the routings were solely between Canada and the continental U.S. and/or between Hawaii, U.S. possessions and/or U.S.

territories.

2. The Captain will be given a CBP Form AI-288 Ship Inspection Report or a PPQ Form 288 Ship Inspection report with “Purged-now domestic” written in the Remarks Block.

The copy of the form is evidence of domestic status until the vessel sails again outside of the continental U.S. or Canada.

Note: The disinfectants and sanitizers are provided by the vessel. Sanitizer used must be a product approved by EPA for use in food preparation or food storage area. APHIS authorized disinfectants must be used on garbage containers and non-food preparation areas.

¹If the vessel has only traveled between Hawaii, U.S. territories or possessions, and the continental United States or Canada and has not visited a foreign country within the previous 2 years without purging, then the 2-year period is reduced to 1 year.

²All ruminant material from BSE affected countries (regardless of processing) and canned perishable poultry material from END and/or HPAI countries is prohibited and must be disposed of.

³Only fresh fruits and vegetables and all garbage need to be disposed of in the routings between Canada and the continental U.S. and/or between Hawaii, U.S. possessions and/or U.S. territories. No cleaning and disinfection of the stores area is required.

⁴Meat, poultry and other edible animal products and by-products in a vessel’s stores may be transferred over water from one vessel to another when permission in writing listing the items to be transferred is requested of CBP. The vessel’s agent will also request approval from PPQ QPAS VRS to transfer these commodities. The QPAS VRS phone number is (301) 851-2295. The transfer will be made under the direct supervision of CBP. Stores must be transferred from one vessel onto a barge or other floating carrier, over water to the receiving vessel.