Waste disposal for ships

Ships should be aware of Bermuda’s Environmental Policy for Ships, prior to entering Bermuda’s territorial waters.

Ships intending to delivery waste to Bermuda’s reception facilities must complete and submit the 

File

  at least 24 hours in advance of arrival or upon departure of previous port if the voyage is less than 24 hours.

For guidelines on how to correctly dispose of a wide range of materials please refer to What Goes Where?

Alignment of the IMO Ship waste segregation to the Waste Management Strategy for Bermuda is provided here: 



Wastes should be segregated into the following waste types to align with Bermuda’s Government reception facilities:

Waste Type Reception Facility Contact Number
Combustible Waste (card, paper, plastic) Tynes Bay Waste to Energy Facility (441) 296-0673
Municipal, non-hazardous and combustible wastes (paper, plastics and food) Tynes Bay Waste to Energy Facility (441) 296-0673
Hazardous Wastes (oils, greases, mercury-containing items, flares, paints, batteries, fluorescent lamps, oxidizers, chemicals with a caution or warning label)* Special Waste Facility (441) 234-5184 or (441) 501-3024
Recyclable Waste (Tins, Aluminium, Glass) Materials Recovery Facility (441) 278-5366 or (441) 501-3043
Sewage Sludge (By Vacuum Truck, <5m3 batches) Tynes Bay Septage Facility (441) 501-3029 or (441) 278-0560
Non-combustible, non-hazardous bulky wastes Airport Waste Management Facility (441) 292-7454
Biomedical Wastes King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) (441) 236-2345 or (441) 533-8031 or (441) 239-2196

* Landing of Hazardous Wastes in Bermuda will incur full costs to repackage and ship back to the US to the EPA standards.

Discharging of wastes

Approval is required by the appropriate Waste Management Section of the Ministry of Public Works prior to disposing of wastes at the appropriate waste reception facility listed in the above table.  Port Managers of quangos and corporations can also advise on alternative waste receptions facilities.  Use your Shipping Agent to advise.

All smaller vessels, including local boats, shall not discharge sewage or treated sewage into ‘No Discharge Zones’ in accordance with the Water Resources (Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Boats) Regulations 2018 

‘No Discharge Zones’ include any waters within 500m from the nearest point of land and any of the enclosed water bodies, such as the Great Sound, Little Sound, Harrington Sound and Castle Harbour.

The locations of the ‘No Discharge Zones’ and local sewage pump out facilities are provided in the 

File

All vessels shall have a sticker located clearly in the vicinity of the head/toilet to show the ‘No Discharge Zones.’  Stickers are available from DENR, Marine & Ports Services (Boats and Moorings, Paget) and from some boat chandlers.

Waste contractors collecting waste

Waste contractors must confirm the reception of waste using the