The Contracting Parties to this Convention,
Recognizing that the marine environment and the living organisms which it supports
are of vital importance to humanity, and all people have an interest in assuring that
it is so managed that its quality and resources are not impaired;
Recognizing that the capacity of the sea to assimilate wastes and render them harmless,
and its ability to regenerate natural resources, is not unlimited;
Recognizing that States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, the sovereign right to exploit their own
resources pursuant to their own environmental policies, and the responsibility to
ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to
the environment of other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction;
Recalling Resolution 2749 (XXV) of the General Assembly of the United Nations on the
principles governing the sea-bed and the ocean floor and the subsoil thereof, beyond
the limits of national jurisdiction;
Noting that marine pollution originates in many sources, such as dumping and discharges
through the atmosphere, rivers, estuaries, outfalls and pipelines, and that it is
important that States use the best practicable means to prevent such pollution and
develop products and processes which will reduce the amount of harmful wastes to be
disposed of;
Being convinced that international action to control the pollution of the sea by dumping
can and must be taken without delay but that this action should not preclude discussion
of measures to control other sources of marine pollution as soon as possible; and
Wishing to improve protection of the marine environment by encouraging States with
a common interest in particular geographical areas to enter into appropriate agreements
supplementary to this Convention;
Have agreed as follows:
Contracting Parties shall individually and collectively promote the effective control
of all sources of pollution of the marine environment, and pledge themselves especially
to take all practicable steps to prevent the pollution of the sea by the dumping of
waste and other matter that is liable to create hazards to human health, to harm living
resources and marine life, to damage amenities or to interfere with other legitimate
uses of the sea.
Contracting Parties shall, as provided for in the following Articles, take effective
measures individually, according to their scientific, technical and economic capabilities,
and collectively, to prevent marine pollution caused by dumping and shall harmonize
their policies in this regard.
For the purposes of this Convention:
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1.
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(a) “Dumping” means:
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(i) any deliberate disposal at sea of wastes or other matter from vessels, aircraft, platforms
or other man-made structures at sea;
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(ii) any deliberate disposal at sea of vessels, aircraft, platforms or other man-made structures
at sea.
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(b) “Dumping” does not include:
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(i) the disposal at sea of wastes or other matter incidental to, or derived from the normal
operations of vessels, aircraft, platforms or other man-made structures at sea and
their equipment, other than wastes or other matter transported by or to vessels, aircraft,
platforms or other man-made structures at sea, operating for the purpose of disposal
of such matter or derived from the treatment of such wastes or other matter on such
vessels, aircraft, platforms or structures;
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(ii) placement of matter for a purpose other than the mere disposal thereof, provided that
such placement is not contrary to the aims of this Convention.
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(c) The disposal of wastes or other matter directly arising from, or related to the exploration,
exploitation and associated offshore processing of sea-bed mineral resources will
not be overed by the provisions of this Convention.
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2. “Vessels and aircraft” means waterborne or airborne craft of any type whatsoever.
This expression includes air cushioned craft and floating craft, whether self-propelled
or not.
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3. “Sea” means all marine waters other than the internal waters of States.
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4. “Wastes or other matter” means material and substance of any kind, form or description.
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5. “Special permit” means permission granted specifically on application in advance and
in accordance with Annex II and Annex III.
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6. “General permit” means permission granted in advance and in accordance with Annex
III.
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7. “The Organisation” means the Organisation designated by the Contracting Parties in
accordance with Article XIV (2).
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3 No provision of this Convention is to be interpreted as preventing a Contracting Party
from prohibiting, insofar as that Party is concerned, the dumping of wastes or other
matter not mentioned in Annex I. That Party shall notify such measures to the Organisation.
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1 The provisions of Article IV shall not apply when it is necessary to secure the safety
of human life or of vessels, aircraft, platforms or other man-made structures at sea
in cases of force majeure caused by stress of weather, or in any case which constitutes a danger to human life
or a real threat to vessels, aircraft, platforms or other man-made structures at sea,
if dumping appears to be the only way of averting the threat and if there is every
probability that the damage consequent upon such dumping will be less than would otherwise
occur. Such dumping shall be so conducted as to minimise the likelihood of damage
to human or marine life and shall be reported forthwith to the Organisation.
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2 A Contracting Party may issue a special permit as an exception to Article IV (1) (a),
in emergencies, posing unacceptable risk relating to human health and admitting no
other feasible solution. Before doing so the Party shall consult any other country
or countries that are likely to be affected and the Organisation which, after consulting
other Parties, and international organisations as appropriate, shall in accordance
with Article XIV promptly recommend to the Party the most appropriate procedures to
adopt. The Party shall follow these recommendations to the maximum extent feasible
consistent with the time within which action must be taken and with the general obligation
to avoid damage to the marine environment and shall inform the Organisation of the
action it takes. The Parties pledge themselves to assist one another in such situations.
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3 In issuing permits under sub-paragraphs(1) (a) and (b) above, the appropriate authority
or authorities shall comply with Annex III, together with such additional criteria,
measures and requirements as they may consider relevant.
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4 Each Contracting Party, directly or through a Secretariat established under a regional
agreement, shall report to the Organisation, and where appropriate to other Parties,
the information specified in sub-paragraphs (c) and (d) of paragraph (1) above, and
the criteria, measures and requirements it adopts in accordance with paragraph (3)
above. The procedure to be followed and the nature of such reports shall be agreed
by the Parties in consultation.
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4 This Convention shall not apply to those vessels and aircraft entitled to sovereign
immunity under international law. However each Party shall ensure by the adoption
of appropriate measures that such vessels and aircraft owned or operated by it act
in a manner consistent with the object and purpose of this Convention, and shall inform
the Organisation accordingly.
In order to further the objectives of this Convention, the Contracting Parties with
common interests to protect in the marine environment in a given geographical area
shall endeavour, taking into account characteristic regional features, to enter into
regional agreements consistent with this Convention for the prevention of pollution,
especially by dumping. The Contracting Parties to the present Convention shall endeavour
to act consistently with the objectives and provisions, of such regional agreements,
which shall be notified to them by the Organisation. Contracting Parties shall seek
to co-operate with the Parties to regional agreements in order to develop harmonized
procedures to be followed by Contracting Parties to the different conventions concerned.
Special attention shall be given to co-operation in the field of monitoring and scientific
research.
The Contracting Parties shall promote, through collaboration within the Organisation
and other international bodies, support for those Parties which request it for:
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(a) the training of scientific and technical personnel;
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(b) the supply of necessary equipment and facilities for research and monitoring;
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(c) the disposal and treatment of waste and other measures to prevent or mitigate pollution
caused by dumping;
preferably within the countries concerned, so furthering the aims and purposes of
this Convention.
In accordance with the principles of international law regarding State responsibility
for damage to the environment of other States or to any other area of the environment,
caused by dumping of wastes and other matter of all kinds, the Contracting Parties
undertake to develop procedures for the assessment of liability and the settlement
of disputes regarding dumping.
The Contracting parties shall at their first consultative meeting consider procedures
for the settlement of disputes concerning the interpretation and application of this
Convention.
The Contracting parties pledge themselves to promote, within the competent specialised
agencies and other international bodies, measures to protect the marine environment
against pollution caused by:
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(a) hydrocarbons, including oil, and their wastes;
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(b) other noxious or hazardous matter transported by vessels for purposes other than dumping;
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(c) wastes generated in the course of operation of vessels, aircraft, platforms and other
man-made structures at sea;
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(d) radio-active pollutants from all sources, including vessels;
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(e) agents of chemical and biological warfare;
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(f) wastes or other matter directly arising from, or related to the exploration, exploitation
and associated off-shore processing of sea-bed mineral resources.
The Parties will also promote, within the appropriate international organisation,
the codification of signals to be used by vessels engaged in dumping.
Nothing in this Convention shall prejudice the codification and development of the
law of the sea by the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea convened pursuant
to Resolution 2750 C (XXV) of the General Assembly of the United Nations nor the present
or future claims and legal views of any State concerning the law of the sea and the
nature and extent of coastal and flag State jurisdiction. The Contracting Parties
agree to consult at a meeting to be convened by the Organisation after the Law of
the Sea Conference, and in any case not later than 1976, with a view to defining the
nature and extent of the right and the responsibility of a coastal State to apply
the Convention in a zone adjacent to its coast.
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3 The Secretariat duties of the Organisation shall include:
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(a) the convening of consultative meetings of the Contracting Parties not less frequently
than once every two years and of special meetings of the Parties at any time on the
request of two-thirds of the Parties;
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(b) preparing and assisting, in consultation with the Contracting Parties and appropriate
International Organisations, in the development and implementation of procedures referred
to in sub-paragraph (4) (e) of this Article;
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(c) considering enquiries by and information from the Contracting Parties, consulting
with them and with the appropriate International Organisations, and providing recommendations
to the Parties on questions related to, but not specifically covered by the Convention;
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(d) conveying to the Parties concerned all notifications received by the Organisation
in accordance with Articles IV (3), V (1) and (2), VI (4), XV, XX and XXI.
Prior to the designation of the Organisation these functions shall, as necessary,
be performed by the depositary, who for this purpose shall be the Government of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
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1
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(a) At meetings of the Contracting Parties called in accordance with Article XIV amendments
to this Convention may be adopted by a two-thirds majority of those present. An amendment
shall enter into force for the Parties which have accepted it on the sixtieth day
after two-thirds of the Parties shall have deposited an instrument of acceptance of
the amendment with the Organisation. Thereafter the amendment shall enter into force
for any other Party 30 days after that Party deposits its instrument of acceptance
of the amendment.
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(b) The Organisation shall inform all Contracting Parties of any request made for a special
meeting under Article XIV and of any amendments adopted at meetings of the Parties
and of the date on which each such amendment enters into force for each Party.
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4 Prior to the designation of the Organisation, the Secretarial functions herein attributed
to it, shall be performed temporarily by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland, as one of the depositaries of this Convention.
This Convention shall be open for signature by any State at London, Mexico City, Moscow
and Washington from 29 December 1972 until 31 December 1973.
This Convention shall be subject to ratification. The instruments of ratification
shall be deposited with the Governments of Mexico, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of
America.
After 31 December 1973, this Convention shall be open for accession by any State.
The instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Governments of Mexico, the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland, and the United States of America.
The depositaries shall inform Contracting Parties:
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(a) of signatures to this Convention and of the deposit of instruments of ratification,
accession or withdrawal, in accordance with Articles XVI, XVII, XVIII and XXI, and
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(b) of the date on which this Convention will enter into force, in accordance with Article
XIX.
Any Contracting Party may withdraw from this Convention by giving six months' notice
in writing to a depositary, which shall promptly inform all Parties of such notice.
The original of this Convention of which the English, French, Russian and Spanish
texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Governments of Mexico, the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland and the United States of America who shall send certified copies thereof to
all States.