It's the Law: On the Water
Discharge of Trash IC 14-15-2-8
It is illegal to dump refuse, garbage, or plastics into any state or federally controlled waters. Many forms of litter can kill birds, fish, and marine mammals.
- You must store trash in a container while on board and place it in a proper receptacle after returning to shore.
- If boating on federally controlled waters and your vessel is 26 feet or longer, you must display a Garbage Disposal Placard that is at least 4 x 9 inches and notifies passengers and crew about discharge restrictions.
 Discharge of Sewage and Waste IC 14-15-2-7
- It is illegal to discharge untreated waste into any state or federally controlled waters.
- If you have a recreational boat with installed toilet facilities, it should have an operable marine sanitation device (MSD) on board.
- All installed devices must be U.S. Coast Guard–certified and working properly.
- A U.S. Coast Guard–approved Type I or II MSD can be operated lawfully on a legally navigable waterway that is suitable for direct interstate boating transportation. A Non-Rule Policy Document listing of these waterways can be found at the Natural Resource Commission
website: http://www.in.gov/nrc/
Types of MSDs
There are three types of MSDs:
- Type I and II MSDs are usually found on large vessels. Waste is treated with special chemicals to kill bacteria. The “Y” valve must be secured so that waste cannot be discharged into the water.
- Type III MSDs provide no treatment and are either holding tanks or portable toilets. Collected waste should be taken ashore and disposed of in a pump-out station or onshore toilet.
Discharge of Oil and Other Hazardous Substances
 It is illegal to discharge oil or hazardous substances.- You are not allowed to dump oil into the bilge of the vessel without means for proper disposal.
- You must dispose of oil waste at an approved reception facility. On recreational boats, a bucket or bailer is adequate.
- If boating on federally controlled waters and your boat is 26 feet or longer, you must display a 5 x 8-inch placard near the bilge pump switch stating the Federal Water Pollution Control Act’s law.
See Indiana Boat Sewage Pump-Out Locations for a complete list of pump-out locations.
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