40 CFR § 140.1 - Definitions.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t40/s140.1"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "40 CFR § 140.1 - Definitions."
title_number: 40
title_name: "Protection of Environment"
section_number: "140.1"
section_name: "Definitions."
chapter_name: "ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY"
subchapter_number: "D"
subchapter_name: "WATER PROGRAMS"
part_number: "140"
part_name: "MARINE SANITATION DEVICE STANDARD"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "33 U.S.C. 1322, as amended."
regulatory_source: "41 FR 4453, Jan. 29, 1976, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "140"
---


# 140.1 Definitions.

For the purpose of these standards the following definitions shall apply:

(a) *Sewage* means human body wastes and the wastes from toilets and other receptacles intended to receive or retain body wastes;

(b) *Discharge* includes, but is not limited to, any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, or dumping;

(c) *Marine sanitation device* includes any equipment for installation onboard a vessel and which is designed to receive, retain, treat, or discharge sewage and any process to treat such sewage;

(d) *Vessel* includes every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on waters of the United States;

(e) *New vessel* refers to any vessel on which construction was initiated on or after January 30, 1975;

(f) *Existing vessel* refers to any vessel on which construction was initiated before January 30, 1975;

(g) *Fecal coliform bacteria* are those organisms associated with the intestines of warm-blooded animals that are commonly used to indicate the presence of fecal material and the potential presence of organisms capable of causing human disease.