(a) Applicability. This section applies to garbage generated onboard any means of conveyance during international or interstate movements as provided in this section and includes food scraps, table refuse, galley refuse, food wrappers or packaging materials, and other waste material from stores, food preparation areas, passengers' or crews' quarters, dining rooms, or any other areas on the means of conveyance. This section also applies to meals and other food that were available for consumption by passengers and crew on an aircraft but were not consumed.

(1) Not all garbage generated onboard a means of conveyance is regulated for the purposes of this section. Garbage regulated for the purposes of this section is defined as “regulated garbage” in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.

(2) Garbage that is commingled with regulated garbage is also regulated garbage.

(b) Garbage regulated because of movements outside the United States or Canada. For purposes of this section, garbage on or removed from a means of conveyance is regulated garbage, if, when the garbage is on or removed from the means of conveyance, the means of conveyance has been in any port outside the United States and Canada within the previous 2-year period. There are, however, two exceptions to this provision. These exceptions are as follows:

(1) Exception 1: Aircraft. Garbage on or removed from an aircraft is exempt from requirements under paragraph (d) of this section if the following conditions are met when the garbage is on or removed from the aircraft:

(i) The aircraft had previously been cleared of all garbage and of all meats and meat products, whatever the country of origin, except meats that are shelf-stable; all fresh and condensed milk and cream from countries designated in 9 CFR 94.1 as those in which foot-and-mouth disease exists; all fresh fruits and vegetables; and all eggs; and the items previously cleared from the aircraft as prescribed by this paragraph have been disposed of according to the procedures for disposing of regulated garbage, as specified in paragraphs (d)(2) and (d)(3) of this section.

(ii) After the garbage and stores referred to in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section were removed, the aircraft has not been in a non-Canadian foreign port.

(2) Exception 2: Other conveyances. Garbage on or removed in the United States from a means of conveyance other than an aircraft is exempt from requirements under paragraph (d) of this section if the following conditions are met when the garbage is on or removed from the means of conveyance:

(i) The means of conveyance is accompanied by a certificate from an inspector stating the following:

(A) That the means of conveyance had previously been cleared of all garbage and of all meats and meat products, whatever the country of origin, except meats that are shelf-stable; all fresh and condensed milk and cream from countries designated in 9 CFR 94.1 as those in which foot-and-mouth disease exists; all fresh fruits and vegetables; and all eggs; and the items previously cleared from the means of conveyance as prescribed by this paragraph have been disposed of according to the procedures for disposing of regulated garbage, as specified in paragraphs (d)(2) and (d)(3) of this section.

(B) That the means of conveyance had then been cleaned and disinfected in the presence of the inspector; and

(ii) Since being cleaned and disinfected, the means of conveyance has not been in a non-Canadian foreign port.

(c) Garbage regulated because of certain movements to or from Hawaii, territories, or possessions. For purposes of this section, garbage on or removed from a means of conveyance is regulated garbage, if at the time the garbage is on or removed from the means of conveyance, the means of conveyance has moved during the previous 1-year period, either directly or indirectly, to the continental United States from any territory or possession or from Hawaii, to any territory or possession from any other territory or possession or from Hawaii, or to Hawaii from any territory or possession. There are, however, two exceptions to this provision. These exceptions are as follows:

(1) Exception 1: Aircraft. Garbage on or removed from an aircraft is exempt from requirements under paragraph (d) of this section if the following two conditions are met when the garbage is on or removed from the aircraft:

(i) The aircraft had been previously cleared of all garbage and all fresh fruits and vegetables, and the items previously cleared from the aircraft as prescribed by this paragraph have been disposed of according to the procedures for disposing of regulated garbage, as specified in paragraphs (d)(2) and (d)(3) of this section.

(ii) After the garbage and stores referred to in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section were removed, the aircraft has not moved to the continental United States from any territory or possession or from Hawaii; to any territory or possession from any other territory or possession or from Hawaii; or to Hawaii from any territory or possession.

(2) Exception 2: Other conveyances. Garbage on or removed from a means of conveyance other than an aircraft is exempt from requirements under paragraph (d) of this section if the following two conditions are met when the garbage is on or removed from the means of conveyance:

(i) The means of conveyance is accompanied by a certificate from an inspector stating that the means of conveyance had been cleared of all garbage and all fresh fruits and vegetables; and the items previously cleared from the means of conveyance as prescribed by this paragraph have been disposed of according to the procedures for disposing of regulated garbage, as specified in paragraphs (d)(2) and (d)(3) of this section.

(ii) After being cleared of the garbage and stores referred to in paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section, the means of conveyance has not moved to the continental United States from any territory or possession or from Hawaii; to any territory or possession from any other territory or possession or from Hawaii; or to Hawaii from any territory or possession.

(d) Restrictions on regulated garbage.

(1) Regulated garbage may not be disposed of, placed on, or removed from a means of conveyance except in accordance with this section.

(2) Regulated garbage is subject to general surveillance for compliance with this section by inspectors and to disposal measures authorized by the Plant Protection Act and the Animal Health Protection Act to prevent the introduction and dissemination of pests and diseases of plants and livestock.

(3) All regulated garbage must be contained in tight, covered, leak-proof receptacles during storage on board a means of conveyance while in the territorial waters, or while otherwise within the territory of the United States. All such receptacles shall be contained inside the guard rail if on a watercraft. Such regulated garbage shall not be unloaded from such means of conveyance in the United States unless such regulated garbage is removed in tight, covered, leak-proof receptacles under the direction of an inspector to an approved facility for incineration, sterilization, or grinding into an approved sewage system, under direct supervision by such an inspector, or such regulated garbage is removed for other handling in such manner and under such supervision as may, upon request in specific cases, be approved by the Administrator as adequate to prevent the introduction and dissemination of plant pests and animal diseases and sufficient to ensure compliance with applicable laws for environmental protection. Provided that, a cruise ship may dispose of regulated garbage in landfills at Alaskan ports only, if and only if the cruise ship does not have prohibited or restricted meat or animal products on board at the time it enters Alaskan waters for the cruise season, and only if the cruise ship, except for incidental travel through international waters necessary to navigate safely between ports, remains in Canadian and U.S. waters off the west coast of North America, and calls only at continental U.S. and Canadian ports during the entire cruise season.

(i) Application for approval of a facility or sewage system may be made in writing by the authorized representative of any carrier or by the official having jurisdiction over the port or place of arrival of the means of conveyance to the Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250. The application must be endorsed by the operator of the facility or sewage system.

(ii) Approval will be granted if the Administrator determines that the requirements set forth in this section are met. Approval may be denied or withdrawn at any time, if the Administrator determines that such requirements are not met, after notice of the proposed denial or withdrawal of the approval and the reasons therefor, and an opportunity to demonstrate or achieve compliance with such requirements, has been afforded to the operator of the facility or sewage system and to the applicant for approval. However, approval may also be withdrawn without such prior procedure in any case in which the public health, interest, or safety requires immediate action, and in such case, the operator of the facility or sewage system and the applicant for approval shall promptly thereafter be given notice of the withdrawal and the reasons therefor and an opportunity to show cause why the approval should be reinstated.

(e) The Plant Protection and Quarantine Programs and Veterinary Services, Animal, and Plant Health Inspection Service, will cooperate with other Federal, State, and local agencies responsible for enforcing other statutes and regulations governing disposal of the regulated garbage to the end that such disposal shall be adequate to prevent the dissemination of plant pests and livestock or poultry diseases and comply with applicable laws for environmental protection. The inspectors, in maintaining surveillance over regulated garbage movements and disposal, shall coordinate their activities with the activities of representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency and other Federal, State, and local agencies also having jurisdiction over such regulated garbage