b'A big considerationcompartments,butonlyappliesthecans? Sales and marketing terms such SAFETYis what will the Coastrequirement to existing (Old T) ves- asfireresistanthavelimitedvalue sels when the trash cans are replaced.when there is no Coast Guard approval Guard allow besides(46CFR177.115(b)). or incorporated commercial standard metal trash cans?to reference in the regulations. PVA Sales and marketingIn June 2023, the Coast Guard issuedstaff has reached out to Coast Guard SafetyAlert07-23tosmallpassenger Headquartersforclarification,but terms such as firevessel operators urging them to recon- while we are waiting for a response, resistant have limitedsiderusingcombustibletrashcans.committee members shared the below The safety alert was in response to thelinkstoproductstheyhaveusedin value when there is noongoinginvestigationofthefireonthe past and have not had any issued Coast Guard approvalboard the M/V Spirit of Boston.raised by their local Coast Guard.or incorporatedIMPACT ON COAST GUARD TrashcansUnlimitedcommercial standardINVESTIGATIONS to reference in Asstatedpreviously,theCoastEZ Gallons FireproofGuards Marine Board of Investiga- Trash Storagethe regulations. tion into the M/V Conception fire has not yet concluded due to the ongoing Rubbermaid Commercialcriminalinvestigationofthevessels captain and owner. The Coast GuardPVAstaffcanassistmemberswho willcertainlytaketheATFreporthavequestionsaboutfiresafetyon risksassociatedwithLithium-ionbat- intoconsiderationintheirfindings,board domestic passenger vessels.teries, but their report of investigationconclusions,andrecommendations. is not yet complete. Thatsaid,theCoastGuardisnot waiting on any final investigations to FIRE RISK OF POLYETHYLENE urge replacement of combustible poly- Image of a polyethylene trash can fire during a TRASH CANS ethylene trash cans. 2003 NIST laboratory test.Polyethylene trash cans do not limit the spread of fire as documented in aAVAILABILITY OF 2003 National Institute of StandardsNON-COMBUSTIBLEand Technology (NIST) Report.TRASH CANSTheLosAngelesTimesarticlehas TheNTSBsreportontheM/V Con- spurred discussion at the PVA Safety ception fire stated that large polyeth- & Security and Regulatory Commit-ylene trash cans were found through- teesregardingtheremovalofcom-out the interior and exterior areas ofbustible trash cans and availability of the vessel, including the bunkroom.non-metallictrashcansthatwillcon-TheNTSBcorrectlypointedoutthat tain a fire. Many members cited the neither the Old Subchapter T nor theinherent maintenance problems with 1996NewTregulationsallowfor steel trash cans especially in galley and these types of trash cans to be usedoutside areas of the vessel. Others re-in passenger lounge areas (below deckported they had removed combustible bunkrooms, etc.) and instead requiretrash cans years ago at the direction of thattrashcansbeconstructedoftheir Coast Guard marine inspector. metal (Old T) or non-combustiblematerials. New T regulations requiredA big consideration is what will the non-combustible trash cans in all Coast Guard allow besides metal trash FOGHORN 34'