Marine waste dumping ban to enter force

2046, 24/02/06

A 1996 UN protocol imposing a general ban on dumping of waste into the sea will enter force on 24 March after Mexico this week became the twenty-sixth country to ratify it.  Previous international rules allowed waste dumping into the sea, except for a banned list.  Some materials are exempted from the new ban, including sewage sludge, fish waste, vessels, inert geological material and bulky items containing iron, steel or concrete.  Parties to the protocol will now review the "compatibility" of sub-sea CO2-sequestration, said the International maritime organisation (IMO). 

See press release http://www.imo.org/Newsroom/mainframe.asp?topic_id=1320&doc_id=6141

and protocol http://www.londonconvention.org/documents/lc72/1996%20PROTOCOL.doc.

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