Do Not Throw Garbage Sign

Do Not Throw Garbage Sign

The Do Not Throw Garbage sign is a worded prohibition notice reminding crew, contractors, and passengers not to dispose of waste over the side or into unauthorised areas of a vessel. It is typically mounted at the ship’s rails, near mooring stations, on gangways, and around galley waste points where rubbish could otherwise be discarded directly into the water. With MARPOL Annex V restricting the discharge of garbage at sea, operators display this sign prominently so every person on board, including visiting stevedores and agents, understands the vessel’s waste handling policy at a glance.

Unlike a pure pictogram, this is a worded rectangular sign combining a prohibition symbol with clear text stating the rule directly, a format well suited to messages that benefit from explicit wording alongside the visual cue. The sign corresponds to IMPA code 33.8567 and ISSA code 47.585.67, the catalogue numbers ship chandlers and marine suppliers use to source the correct panel for a vessel’s environmental compliance signage. Safety Sign Hub stocks this design ready for dispatch, making it straightforward for a ship’s agent or superintendent to add it to an order alongside other MARPOL-related notices.

Supporting MARPOL Waste Management Compliance

This Do Not Throw Garbage sign is commonly fitted near open deck rails, on both port and starboard sides, as well as at galley and mess room waste stations where crew might otherwise be tempted to dispose of scraps quickly rather than sorting them into the correct bins. During port calls, having the sign visible at the gangway also signals to visiting contractors and surveyors that the vessel takes its garbage management plan seriously, which can be relevant during Port State Control inspections. Chief officers responsible for the ship’s Garbage Record Book often use this sign as a practical reminder alongside crew training.

Safety Sign Hub manufactures this Do Not Throw Garbage sign from fire-retardant, weather-resistant material built to handle constant exposure to salt spray, sun, and rain at the ship’s rail, one of the most exposed locations on any vessel. Printed text and symbols are produced with UV-stable inks so the wording stays legible for years rather than fading into an unreadable blur within a single season. A rigid panel option resists warping in high winds, while the adhesive version bonds securely to painted steel or aluminium rails without lifting at the edges. This durability matters because rail-mounted signage is rarely inspected as often as signage inside accommodation spaces.

Stock formats include a self-adhesive vinyl label for direct application to rails, bulkheads, or waste station covers, and a rigid panel for fixing with cable ties or screws where a more secure mount is needed. Both share identical wording and the IMPA and ISSA reference, so reordering extras for sister vessels is simple. Ships expanding their environmental signage often review the full prohibition signs selection at the same time, picking up related notices covering oil discharge, smoking, and other MARPOL-linked restrictions.

Consistent Signage Across A Fleet

Following the ISO 7010 standard’s approach to prohibition graphics, detailed at iso.org, alongside clear wording keeps the sign understandable even for visiting personnel who may not be familiar with pictogram-only conventions used elsewhere on the ship. Fleet operators managing multiple vessels benefit from specifying the same wording and layout on every hull, so a surveyor or superintendent moving between ships sees an identical message rather than a mix of ad-hoc notices assembled locally. This consistency also simplifies budgeting for signage refits, since every vessel in the fleet can be resupplied from the same catalogue reference.

Crew inductions are a good moment to point out where these signs are posted, particularly for new joiners unfamiliar with a specific vessel’s waste segregation points, since MARPOL requirements can vary slightly depending on the special area a ship is transiting. Pairing the sign with a laminated summary of the garbage disposal categories near the same waste station gives crew a quick reference without needing to consult the full management plan document. Replacing faded or peeling signs during each dry dock, rather than waiting for a Port State Control deficiency, keeps the vessel’s environmental compliance signage in good order year round.