BLG 4/18
ANNEX 9
DRAFT TANK CLEANING ADDITIVES GUIDANCE NOTE AND REPORTING FORM FORTHE SUBMISSION OF TANK CLEANING ADDITIVES DATA
INTRODUCTION
A tank cleaning additive is a product used for the cleaning of cargo tanks and associated piping systems on ships carrying noxious liquid substances and is used by adding it to the washwater in small amounts.
The use of cleaning additives must be recorded in the Cargo Record Book as stated in Appendix IV to Annex II of MARPOL 73/78, "List of items to be recorded " (E) 15.2
Tank cleaning additives are evaluated by the Sub-Committee on Bulk Liquids and Gases (BLG) in order to protect the marine environment from adverse effects related to their use.
It is not the intention of the evaluation to determine the efficacy of the products, but rather to determine their environmental acceptability.
This document contains a guidance note and a form to facilitate the submission of data by manufacturers. This is intended to ease the process of evaluation of tank cleaning additives.
Paragraph 1.8.2 of the Standards for Procedures and Arrangements under Annex II of MARPOL 73/78, forms the basis upon which cleaning additives are evaluated. It reads as follows:
When small amounts of cleaning detergents are added to water in order to facilitate tank washing, no detergents containing pollution category A components should be used except those components that are readily biodegradable and present in a total concentration of less than 10%. No restrictions additional to those applicable to the tank due to the previous cargo should apply."
GUIDANCE NOTE
1 The composition of the product should be fully specified, given that tank cleaning additives are evaluated on the basis of any individual ingredient. Components which have one or both of the following characteristics should not be used in tank cleaning additive formulations:
.1 Components which are persistent and bioaccumulating to a significant extent and known to produce a hazard to aquatic life or human health.
.2 Components which are severely toxic to marine life, i.e. those having an LC50 value of 0.1 ppm or less.
2 If active ingredients include pollution category A substances (according to the IBC Code, GESAMP Hazard Profile or provisional assessment), test data for ready biodegradability must be provided. The proportion of such ingredients must be less than 10% of the total product for the tank cleaning additive to be accepted. Substances not previously assessed must be tested for ready biodegradability, aquatic toxicity and bioaccumulation. For components that have not been evaluated previously by the above-mentioned bodies, aquatic toxicity should be investigated first. If shown to be below 1 mg/l, the component should then be tested for ready biodegradability.
