At times, your ship might dispose of waste at sea. Does this include medical waste?

• A. No
• B. Yes, always
• C. Yes, but with limitations
• D. Only if waste is in sealed containers

Answer: (A)

Disposing of medical waste at sea is not allowed. Medical waste is considered infectious and hazardous, so releasing it into the ocean would pose risks to crew and the marine environment. Regulations like MARPOL Annex V require that medical waste be retained on board in secure, labeled containers and disposed of at an approved shore facility (or treated to render it non-infectious before disposal, where permitted by the flag state and local rules). In practice, you do not discharge medical waste at sea.

So the best answer is that medical waste should not be disposed of at sea. Sealed containers or any “limited” permission do not override these rules, and disposal-at-sea is not allowed regardless of containment.