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The MPRSA implements the requirements of the
Convention on the
Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (known as the London
Convention), which is the international treaty governing ocean dumping. For more information
on the London Convention, see the International Maritime
Organization's London Convention website.
The London Convention covers the deliberate disposal at sea of wastes or other matter from
vessels, aircraft, platforms, and other man-made structures at sea. The London Convention has 80
parties and has been very successful in combating marine pollution from dumping. The United States
ratified the London Convention in 1975. The MPRSA is the U.S. law that implements this treaty.
In 1992, the Parties to the London Convention began a comprehensive review of the Convention,
resulting in a new treaty called the
1996 Protocol
(22 pp, 232K, about PDF). The United States was in the
forefront of countries negotiating the Protocol. The United States signed the Protocol in 1998,
but has not yet ratified it. The Protocol entered into force internationally on March 24, 2006.
The Parties of the London Convention have established the following Guidelines for the Assessment
of Wastes or Other Matter that May be Considered for Dumping. These guidelines are intended for use
by national authorities responsible for regulating dumping of wastes under the London Convention or
the 1996 Protocol.
Generic guidelines (PDF)
(10 pp, 103K, about PDF)
Dredged material (PDF)
(13 pp, 59K, about PDF)
Sewage sludge (PDF) (13 pp, 40K,
about PDF)
Fish waste or other material resulting from industrial fish processing operations (PDF)
(12 pp, 40K, about PDF)
Vessels (PDF)
(13 pp, 44K,
about PDF)
Platforms or other man-made structures at sea (PDF) (13 pp, 44K,
about PDF)
Inert-inorganic geological material (PDF) (9 pp, 30K,
about PDF)
Organic material of natural origin (PDF) (11 pp, 37K,
about PDF)
Bulky items (PDF) (10 pp, 33K,
about PDF)
The London Convention prohibits the disposal at sea of radioactive wastes and other radioactive
matter. However, all materials, including natural and inert materials, contain natural radionuclides
and are frequently contaminated with artificial radionuclides from such anthropogenic sources as
fallout due to past atmospheric nuclear testing. Therefore, the Contracting Parties to the London
Convention recognized the need to develop definitions and guidelines whereby candidate materials
(those wastes or other matter not otherwise prohibited from disposal at sea in accordance with
Annex I to the Convention) containing
de minimis (15 pp, 717K,
about PDF)
levels of radionuclides could be disposed of pursuant to the provisions of this Convention.
The countries that signed the London Convention 1972 are interested
in ensuring compliance with the agreements that control the dumping
of wastes into the sea. Mariners or other persons who observe
incidents that could be violations of the London Convention are
encouraged to report these events to appropriate authorities.
The Parties to the London Convention have developed a Reporting
Form (PDF) (7 pp, 79
K,
about PDF) to help observers report such incidents.
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