IMO adopted the Resolution on amendments to Annexes 1 and 2 of the London Protocol

The International Maritime Organization has adopted the Resolution LP.6 (17) on amendments to Annexes 1 and 2 of the London Protocol to remove sewage sludge from the List and assessment of wastes or other matter that may be considered for dumping.

This Resolution has been adopted on October 7th, 2022.

The 17th meeting of Contracting Parties to the 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972,

RECALLING the objectives of the 1996 Protocol to the London Convention ("London Protocol") that include the protection and preservation of the marine environment from all sources of pollution,

RECALLING ALSO the agreement by the sixteenth Meeting of Contracting Parties that there was sufficient evidence and justification for amending annex 1 to remove sewage sludge from the list of permissible wastes,

CONFIRMS that Contracting Parties shall not issue new permits for dumping of sewage sludge after the entry into force of the amendment;

DECIDES that Contracting Parties with active permits which have been issued may maintain those permits until the expiry date, but not later than 31 May 2027;

CLARIFIES that sewage sludge previously being dumped at sea would not be diverted to alternative ocean placement activities;

ENCOURAGES the sharing of best practices for the management of this waste on land to assist with any necessary transition;  

ADOPTS the following amendments to the annexes to the London Protocol, in accordance with article 22 of the Protocol, as set out in annex to this resolution.

ANNEX

AMENDMENTS TO ANNEX 1 TO THE LONDON PROTOCOL

PARAGRAPH 1

Delete sub-paragraph 1.2, as follows:

.2 sewage sludge;

Re-number the subsequent sub-paragraphs of paragraph 1.

CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENT TO ANNEX 2 TO THE LONDON PROTOCOL

PARAGRAPH 4

Delete "sewage sludge" as follows:

4 For dredged material and sewage sludge, the goal of waste management should be to identify and control the sources of contamination. This should be achieved through implementation of waste prevention strategies and requires collaboration between the relevant local and national agencies involved with the control of point and non-point sources of pollution. Until this objective is met, the problems of contaminated dredged material may be addressed  by using disposal management techniques at sea or on land."

RELEVANT DOCUMENT (AVAILABLE ONLY TO SUBSCRIBERS):

On Amendments to Annexes 1 and 2 of the London Protocol to Remove Sewage Sludge from the List and Assessment of Wastes or Other Matter that May be Considered for Dumping