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Marine pollutants are dangerous goods that are harmful or toxic to aquatic life, humans, or ecosystems if they are released during transport.
The transportation of marine pollutants is regulated under Transport Canada’s Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations.
The consignor is responsible for properly classifying dangerous goods and certifying that the dangerous goods, including marine pollutants, are properly packaged, classified, and identified.
Part II, Classification of the TDG Regulations, has the following definition for a marine pollutant:
When a shipping name has opposite it in Column 10 of Schedule 1 the symbol “.”, the consignor must determine if the substance to be transported under the shipping name is a marine pollutant or a severe marine pollutant.
A shipping name may cover several distinct substances, one may be a marine pollutant; others are not. In this case, the shipping name has opposite it the symbol “.”. Depending upon the actual substance, the requirements related to a marine pollutant may apply.
Marine pollutants and severe marine pollutants are required to be identified on a shipping document in Part III, Documentation, and on a means of containment in Part IV, Dangerous Goods Safety Marks.
In addition to the standard information on a shipping document, when marine pollutants are transported via vessel, the shipping document must also include the words “marine pollutant” or “polluant marin” and, for a pesticide that is a marine pollutant, the name and concentration of the most active substance in the pesticide.
Marine pollutant marking. In addition to the requirements for placards and UN numbers, the marine pollutant mark must be displayed for marine pollutants in transport by vessel:
The marine pollutant mark is not required when marine pollutants are:
Marine pollutants exemption. Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations, Part 3 (Documentation) and Part 4 (Dangerous Goods Safety Marks) do not apply to substances that are classified as marine pollutants if they are in transport solely on land by road vehicle or railway vehicle. However, substances may be identified as marine pollutants on a shipping document and the required dangerous goods safety marks may be displayed when they are in transport by road or railway vehicle.