International Rules on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter to be Strengthened

OTTAWA, March 24, 2006 - The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of the Environment is pleased to announce that a significant milestone for the protection of the international marine environment has been reached today with the entry into force of the London Protocol. As a result of a recent surge of ratifications in recent months, and finally the ratification by Mexico in February 2006, the Protocol officially enters into force today.

The Government of Canada was very active in the negotiations of the London Protocol and became a Party to the London Protocol on May 15, 2000. Canada implements its obligations under the Protocol through the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and its regulations. This Protocol is one of several international agreements to which Canada belongs that protect the environment and reduce pollution. Protecting the health of our oceans also supports Canada’s Ocean Action Plan.

“This represents key progress towards the Government of Canada’s objective of protecting our three oceans from environmental damage,” said Minister Ambrose. “The Government of Canada remains committed to protecting Canada’s waterways and oceans and will continue to work internationally to ensure that the oceans and water that we all share are conserved and protected.”

The 1996 Protocol represents a major change of approach to the question of how to regulate the use of the sea as a depository for waste materials in that, in essence, dumping is prohibited, except for materials on an approved list. This contrasts with the previous Convention which permitted dumping of wastes at sea, except for those materials on a banned list.

Key features of the London Protocol

The 1996 London Protocol (officially entitled the 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter) reflects a more modern and comprehensive agreement on protecting the marine environment from dumping activities and reflects the broader aims to protect the environment in general emanating from the 1992 Earth Summit. The Protocol introduces what is known as the "precautionary approach" as a general obligation. This requires that "appropriate preventative measures” are taken when there is reason to believe that wastes introduced into the marine environment are likely to cause harm. The Protocol also states that "the polluter should, in principle, bear the cost of pollution" and it emphasizes that Contracting Parties shall act so that the implementation of the Protocol should not simply result in pollution being transferred from one part of the environment to another. Also, the 1996 Protocol’s geographical coverage is wider, as it also governs storage of wastes in the seabed, as well as the abandonment, or toppling, of offshore installations.

The International Maritime Organization is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.

For more information about the International Maritime Organization, please visit the following web site: http://www.imo.org/index.htm

For more information about the London Convention, please visit the following web site: http://www.londonconvention.org

For further information, please contact:

Ryan Sparrow
Associate Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of the Environment
(819) 997-1441

Sébastien Bois
Media Relations
Environment Canada
(819) 934-8008 or 1-888-908-8008