The use of the world’s oceans as a dumping ground for harmful wastes has been systematically regulated and reduced under the terms of an international convention that, this year, celebrates 40 years since
it was first adopted.The “Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of
Wastes and Other Matter, 1972″, usually referred to as the “London
Convention”, was one of the first global conventions designed to protect the marine environment from human activities. It has been in force
since 1975.The contracting Parties to the 1972 London Convention (and its 1996
Protocol) will meet at the London headquarters of the International
Maritime Organization (IMO), from 29 October to 2 November 2012. During
this meeting they will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention, which took place on 13 November 1972.The objective of the London Convention is to promote the effective
control of all sources of marine pollution and to take all practicable
steps to prevent pollution of the sea by dumping of wastes and other
matter. Currently, 87 States are Parties to it.In 1996, the “London Protocol” was agreed, to further modernize the
Convention and, eventually, to replace it. Under the Protocol, all
dumping is prohibited, except for possibly acceptable wastes on the
so-called “reverse list”. This includes dredged material, sewage sludge, fish wastes, inert, inorganic geological material (e.g. mining wastes), organic material of natural origin, and carbon dioxide streams from
carbon dioxide capture processes for sequestration. The London Protocol
entered into force on 24 March 2006 and currently has 42 States Parties.The 40 years since the London Convention was adopted have left a
strong legacy of tangible successes from which both the marine
environment and mankind have benefited. The unregulated dumping and
incineration activities that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s have been halted.Amendments that were adopted in 1993 and entered into force a year
later brought in a total ban on the dumping into the sea of low-level
radioactive wastes. In addition, within two years of their adoption, by
31 December 1995, they phased out the dumping of industrial wastes and
banned the incineration at sea of industrial waste and sewage sludge.Parties to the Convention agreed to control dumping by implementing
regulatory programmes to assess the need for, and the potential impact
of, dumping. They eliminated dumping of certain types of waste and,
gradually, made this regime more restrictive by promoting sound waste
management and pollution prevention. Prohibitions are in force for
dumping of industrial and radioactive wastes, as well as for
incineration at sea of industrial waste and sewage sludge. And as
mentioned earlier, under the Protocol all dumping is now prohibited,
except for the so called “reverse list”.A comprehensive series of guidelines on dumping have been developed under the auspices of the Convention and Protocol, notably:• generic guidelines and comprehensive specific guidelines for all wastes on the reverse list• guidance on implementation of the London Protocol at the national level• guidelines for the sampling and analysis of dredged material
intended for disposal at sea (to assist Parties with limited capacity or resources, advice on the application of low-technology techniques for
assessing dredged material has also been developed)• guidelines for the application of the ‘de minimis’ concept, to
assist in making judgements on whether materials for dumping could be
exempt from radiological controls or whether a specific radiological
assessment is needed• guidance for the development of Action Lists and Action Levels for
Dredged Material, to assist regulators and policy makers in relation to
dredged material proposed for disposal at sea.In addition, formal advice has been developed concerning the
management of spoilt cargoes aboard vessels; best management practices
for removal of anti-fouling coatings from ships and the placement of
artificial reefs, and a technical co-operation and assistance programme
has been established to assist with capacity building for waste
assessment and management, and in developing national regulations to
comply with, and implement, the London Protocol.Contracting Parties to the LP have recently taken ground-breaking
steps to mitigate the impacts of increasing concentrations of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere by amending the LP to regulate carbon capture
and sequestration in sub-sea geological formations. In 2006, the LP
Contracting Parties adopted amendments to Annex I of the Protocol to
regulate carbon capture and sequestration in sub-seabed geological
formations. In 2009, the LP was further amended to address the issue of
export of waste for dumping purposes.Since 2007, the Contracting Parties have taken steps to develop a
global, transparent and effective control and regulatory mechanism for
ocean fertilization and other activities that fall within the scope of
the LC and LP and that may cause harm to the environment, including
marine geo-engineering activities. In 2010, an assessment framework for
scientific research involving ocean fertilization was adopted.A Risk Assessment and Management Framework was developed to ensure
compatibility with Annex 2 to the LP, identify relevant gaps in
knowledge, and reach a view on the implications of this storage activity for the marine environment.All in all, the Contracting Parties to the London Convention and
Protocol have developed a wealth of experience regarding marine
pollution prevention issues, interpretation of the Convention and
Protocol, licensing, compliance and field monitoring activities.When they meet at IMO from 29 October to 2 November 2012, the agenda will include, among other items:• further development of regulatory controls on ocean fertilization
and other similar activities and the guidelines for CO2 sequestration to include transboundary issues• a review of compliance issues under the London Protocol• a review of the status report and planning for technical co-operation activities• a review of the joint MEPC-LC/LP guidance on management of spoilt cargoes• a discussion on matters related to the management of radioactive waste• the finalization of the publication “The London Protocol: What it is and how to implement it”, and• a review of the Joint Long-term Programme for the period 2013 to 2015.Forty years after its adoption, the London Convention and its
Protocol are still providing a relevant and important framework within
which the international community is tackling key issues surrounding the protection of the marine environment.
WORLD SHIPPING
27 October 2012 - 20:18
'London Convention' Celebrates 40 Years of Progress
The use of the world’s oceans as a dumping ground for harmful wastes has been systematically regulated and reduce.
WORLD SHIPPING
27 October 2012 - 20:18
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