RIASSUNTO
Abstract
The London Convention, which regulates dumping at sea on a global basis has recently approved a substantial change in its operational processes with the adoption of a Waste Assessment procedure. This new procedure replaces the traditional substance based approach which had been in operation since the Convention entered into force in the mid 1 970s. The Waste Assessment Framework (WAF) was adopted by the Consultative Meeting in 1995 and represented a step change in the way in which materials proposed for sea disposal were evaluated. Furthermore, the Assessment Framework has been incorporated into the newly negotiated Protocol to the London Convention, agreed in 1996. Although policy initiatives within the Convention have resulted in prohibitions on a number of waste categories, the Assessment Framework is a cornerstone of the implementation of the Convention. The key elements of the framework are prevention audits, waste categorization and comparative assessment of disposal alternatives.
The Scientific Group of the London Convention is presently preparing a set of interpretative guidelines for the Annex for each of the waste categories for which disposal at sea is now permitted. A number of countries is taking the lead in this work with the aim of providing a guidance package It is expected that some of these interpretative guidelines will be ready for adoption by the Consultative Meeting, in 1998.