33 U.S.C. § 2503

After 6 months after November 18, 1988 , no public vessel shall dispose of potentially infectious medical waste into ocean waters unless— (1) (A) the health or safety of individuals on board the vessel is threatened; or (B) during time of war or a declared national emergency; (2) the waste is disposed of beyond 50 nautical miles from the nearest land; and (3) (A) in the case of a public vessel which is not a submersible, the waste is sterilized, properly packaged, and sufficiently weighted to prevent the waste from coming ashore after disposal; and (B) in the case of a public vessel which is a submersible, the waste is properly packaged and sufficiently weighted to prevent the waste from coming ashore after disposal.