(a) Antifouling hull coatings subject to registration under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (7 U.S.C 136 et seq.) must be applied, maintained, and removed in a manner consistent with requirements on the coatings' FIFRA label.
(b) Antifouling hull coatings not subject to FIFRA registration (i.e., exempt or not produced for sale and distribution in the United States) must not contain any biocides or toxic materials banned for use in the United States. This performance standard applies to all vessels, including vessels with a hull coating applied outside the United States.
(c) Antifouling hull coatings must not contain tributyltin (TBT).
(d) Antifouling hull coatings must not contain any organotin compounds when the organotin is used as a biocide. Antifouling hull coatings may contain small quantities of organotin compounds other than tributyltin (e.g., dibutyltin) when the organotin is acting as a chemical catalyst and not present above 2,500 milligrams total tin per kilogram of dry paint film. In addition, any antifouling hull coatings containing organotin must be designed to not slough or peel from the vessel hull.
(e) Antifouling hull coatings that contain TBT or other organotin compounds that are used as a biocide must be removed or an overcoat must be applied.
(f) Incidental amounts of antifouling hull coating discharged after contact with other hard surfaces (e.g., moorings) are permissible.
(g) To the greatest extent practicable, use non-copper based and less toxic antifouling hull coatings. To the greatest extent practicable, use antifouling hull coatings with the lowest effective biocide release rates, rapidly biodegradable components (once separated from the hull surface), or use non-biocidal alternatives, such as silicone coatings.
(h) To the greatest extent practicable, avoid use of antifouling hull coatings on vessels that are regularly removed from the water and unlikely to accumulate hull growth.
[85 FR 43476, July 17, 2020]