Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-73

§2502 Definitions

Title 33 › Chapter CHAPTER 38— - DUMPING OF MEDICAL WASTE BY PUBLIC VESSELS › § 2502

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines two key words used in this chapter. Potentially infectious medical waste means disposable medical items that can spread disease — for example, blood and blood products, body parts, needles and other sharps, contaminated bedding, surgical waste, and similar materials that could harm public health, welfare, or the marine environment. Public vessel means any kind of craft or platform (for example, ships, hydrofoils, hovercraft, submersibles, or fixed or floating platforms) that the United States owns or fully leases and operates and that is not used for commercial service.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §2502

Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For the purposes of this chapter:

(1)The term “potentially infectious medical waste” includes isolation wastes; infectious agents; human blood and blood products; pathological wastes; sharps; body parts; contaminated bedding; surgical wastes; and other disposable medical equipment and material that may pose a risk to the public health, welfare or the marine environment.

(2)The term “public vessel” means a vessel of any type whatsoever (including hydrofoils, air-cushion vehicles, submersibles, floating craft whether propelled or not, and fixed or floating platforms) that is owned, or demise chartered, and operated by the United States Government, and is not engaged in commercial service.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 2502

Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73