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2.4 WASTE DISPOSAL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT

Introductory note
The Antarctic is often described as 'pristine'; it projects an image of purity and white cleanliness. It is natural that many place great store by the hope that it will remain unsullied. But wherever man goes he leaves evidence of having been there. If such traces are old enough, as in the Antarctic case of the early 'Heroic Age' sites on Ross Island, they become the object of preservation and historical interest. But Antarctic expeditions now carry with them to the Antarctic both much more and much nastier stuff than was the case 75 years ago and so it was right that the Code of Conduct annexed to Recommendation VIII-11 should tackle the issue of waste disposal, and that the issue should remain of continuing concern to Consultative Parties from 1983 through to the adoption of Annex III to the Protocol on Waste Disposal and Waste Management.
2.4.1 Antarctic Treaty Recommendations

VIII-11: Man's impact on the Antarctic environment: Annex. Code of conduct for Antarctic expeditions and station activities, paragraph 1:

1. Waste disposal.
The following are recommended procedures:
a. Solid waste
i. Non-combustible, including chemicals (except batteries). These materials may be disposed of at sea either in deep water or, if this is not possible, at specified sites in shallow water.
ii. Batteries should be removed from the Antarctic Treaty Area.
iii. Combustibles
- Wood, wood products and paper should be incinerated, the ash being disposed of at sea.
- Lubricating oils may be burnt except those containing harmful additives which should be removed from the Antarctic Treaty Area.
- Carcasses and materials associated with imported experimental animals should be incinerated.
- All plastics and rubber products should be removed from the Antarctic Treaty Area.
b. Liquid waste
i. Human waste, garbage and laundry effluents should, where possible, be macerated and be flushed into the sea.
ii. Large quantities of photographic liquids should be treated for the recovery of silver and the residue should be flushed into the sea.
c. The above procedures are recommended for coastal stations. Field sites supported from coastal stations should, where feasible, use the facilities of their supporting station. Inland stations should concentrate all waste in deep pits. Except as stated for inland stations, waste should not be buried.
d. Waste containing radio-isotopes should be removed from the Antarctic Treaty Area.
e. Every effort should be made to reduce the plastic packaging of products imported into the Antarctic Treaty Area.
f. If possible the use of leaded fuels or fuels containing ethylene bromide and ethylene chloride should be avoided.
g. When incinerators are used it is desirable to monitor the effluents.
XII-4: Man's Impact on the Antarctic environment: code of conduct for Antarctic expeditions and station activities
The Representatives,
Recalling Recommendation VIII-11;
Noting a general increase in awareness amongst Consultative Parties of the potential environmental impacts of the disposal of waste in the Antarctic region;
Noting that the increasing level and degree of complexity of Antarctic operations is likely to introduce into the Antarctic a wider range of potentially environmentally damaging substances than previously;
Noting that improvements in logistics and technology increase the feasibility of on-site treatment of human and other waste, and of the removal of solid waste, residues and noxious substances from the Treaty area;
Recommend to their Governments that they seek the advice of their respective Antarctic operating agencies as to:
i. any problems which have been experienced in implementing the Code of Conduct for Antarctic Expeditions and Station Activities contained in the Annex to Recommendation VIII-11; and
ii. the desirability and feasibility of revising the Code of Conduct in the light of the points noted above, particularly the increased potential for on-site treatment and removal of waste from the Treaty Area.
XIII-4: Man's impact on the Antarctic environment: code of conduct for Antarctic expeditions and station activities: waste disposal
The Representatives,
Recalling Recommendations VI-4, VIII-11 and XII-4;
Recognising that Antarctica derives much of its scientific importance from its uncontaminated condition and the consequent need to reduce to the minimum level practicable the spread of all potential contaminants introduced into the Antarctic Treaty Area by man;
Noting that changes have occurred in the perception of what constitutes pollution and in analytical techniques since Recommendation VIII-11 was approved;
Noting with appreciation the preliminary review by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) of the waste disposal aspects of the Annex to Recommendation VIII-11;
Recommend to their respective Governments that:
through their National Antarctic Committees they invite SCAR, using all resources available to it, to undertake a comprehensive review of the waste disposal aspects of the Annex to Recommendations VIII-11 and, giving due consideration to the need to avoid detrimental effects on neighbouring or associated ecosystems outside the Antarctic Treaty Area and to considerations of cost-effectiveness, to offer
i. scientific advice regarding waste disposal procedures and standards that it is desirable to achieve at coastal and inland stations and field camps;
ii. advice regarding the logistic feasibility of such procedures, bearing in mind Antarctic operational circumstances, including variation in the numbers of personnel between stations, operational and logistic difficulties, and local circumstances and
iii. such other advice as seems to SCAR to be relevant to waste disposal procedures.
Extract from Report of XIVth ATCM: Waste disposal
71. The Meeting reviewed the progress made by SCAR in response to Recommendation XIII-4 and noted in particular the SCAR Initiative in setting up a Panel of Experts, chaired by Mr. J. Bleasel, Australia, with terms of reference appropriate to its task of completing a report.
72. Delegates welcomed the interim report provided by SCAR but expressed concern regarding the limited replies to date in response to SCAR's requests for information about national practices. Accordingly the Meeting decided to urge national operating agencies to respond promptly and as fully as possible to the SCAR questionnaire.
73. The Meeting also attached importance to the SCAR Panel of Experts including in its work the development of possible standards with respect to waste disposal and the examination of the relevance of standards set out in existing international conventions relating to marine pollution and dumping.
74. In further discussions delegates agreed:
1. that with increasing activities, waste disposal was likely to become a more serious issue and that, therefore, it was important that pending the review of the Code of Conduct in the light of SCAR's report to the XVth ATCM, national operating agencies implement the existing Code of Conduct and continue to improve their waste management practices in the interim.
2. When establishing new stations, Contracting Parties should endeavour to implement new technology and methods of waste disposal to minimize the potential for adverse impact on the environment.
3. Waste disposal methods associated with non-governmental activities in Antarctica should also take into account the need to minimize environmental impact. In this connection, organizers should be encouraged to take account of the Code of Conduct for waste disposal and relevant provisions of international instruments.
4. Information on new and improved methods of waste disposal should be exchanged between national operating agencies, and their implementation and application should be encouraged.
5. Acknowledging information provided by several delegations on new and improved methods of waste disposal, Parties were urged to take into account the following goals in conducting their activities in the Antarctic:
a. the clean-up of existing waste disposal sites;
b. the minimization of the amount of waste generated through careful consideration of the nature and volume of materials taken into the Antarctic which are likely to become or generate waste;
c. the re-use or recycling of waste materials;
d. the removal of all waste from the Treaty Area that cannot otherwise be disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.
XV-3. Human impact on the Antarctic environment: waste disposal
The Representatives,
Recalling Article II of the Antarctic Treaty and Recommendations VI-4, VIII-11, XII-4, and XIII-4;
Reaffirming the commitment of Consultative Parties to take measures to reduce the amount of wastes generated in Antarctica and to minimize the impact of wastes on the Antarctic environment, giving due consideration to the need to avoid detrimental effects on dependent or associated ecosystems outside the Antarctic Treaty Area;
Recognizing that the Antarctic derives much of its scientific importance from its uncontaminated condition;
Recognizing further that the support of science has an impact on the Antarctic environment which it is impractical to eliminate completely, but which, by good management can be limited;
Noting that the increasing level and complexity of Antarctic operations have increased the quantity and variety of wastes produced, but that improvements in logistics and technology have increased the capacity to minimize wastes and their environmental impacts;
Recognizing further that different environments, scales of operation, and logistic infrastructures will require different approaches to waste management, and that further technical developments can be expected to provide new solutions to waste management problems;
Noting with appreciation the work of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) in response to Recommendation XIII-4, which invited National Antarctic Committees to undertake a comprehensive review of the waste disposal aspects of the Annex to Recommendation VIII-11, and to offer scientific advice regarding waste disposal procedures and standards that it is desirable and practical to achieve at coastal and inland stations and field camps;
Desiring to revise the waste disposal aspects of the Code of Conduct annexed to Recommendation VIII-11 to take account of the recommendations of SCAR;
Recommend to their Governments that they adopt the following practices and take measures within their competence necessary to ensure compliance with them;
General obligation
1. The amount of wastes produced, or disposed of, in Antarctica shall be reduced to the maximum extent possible so as to minimize impact on the Antarctic environment and minimize interference with scientific research, or other legitimate uses of the Antarctic.
Waste management planning
2. Each Government carrying out Antarctic activities shall establish a waste disposal classification as a basis for recording wastes and to facilitate studies aimed at evaluating the environmental impacts of operational and scientific activity. Wastes produced may be classified as sewage and domestic liquid wastes (Group 1); other liquid wastes and chemicals, including fuels and lubricants (Group 2); solids to be combusted (Group 3); other solid wastes (Group 4); and radioactive materials (Group 5). Source classification codes, which represent individual processes or functions logically associated with points of waste creation, may be used in auditing studies.
3. Each Government carrying out Antarctic activities shall, in respect of those activities, prepare and annually update:
a. plans for waste management (including waste reduction, storage and disposal, specifying for each fixed site, for field camps generally, and for each vessel (other than small boats that are part of the operations of fixed sites or of vessels);
i. programmes for cleaning up existing waste disposal sites and abandoned work sites;
ii. current and planned waste management arrangements;
iii. current and planned arrangements for analyzing the environmental effects of Antarctic waste and waste management systems; and
iv. other efforts to minimize any environmental effects of wastes and waste management.
b. an inventory of locations of past activities (such as traverses, fuel depots, field bases, crashed aircraft) as far as is practicable, before the information is lost, so that such locations can be taken into account in planning future scientific programmes (e.g. snow chemistry, pollutants in lichens, ice core drilling etc.).
4. Each Government carrying out Antarctic activities shall include the waste management plans referred to in paragraph 3 (a) above in the annual exchanges of information in accordance with Articles III and VII of the Antarctic Treaty and related Recommendations under Article IX of the Treaty. The formats of such exchanges shall be determined by each Government pending development of standardized formats. They shall also exchange the inventories referred to in paragraph 3 (b) above.
5. Each Government carrying out Antarctic activities shall ensure that its national Antarctic operators designate a waste management official to develop and monitor waste management plans. In the field, this responsibility shall be delegated to an appropriate person at each site.
6. Those carrying out activities in Antarctica shall ensure that members of their expeditions receive training designed to limit the impact of their operations on the Antarctic environment and to inform them of required practices.
7. Pesticides, polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs), non-sterile soil or polystyrene beads, chips or similar forms of packaging shall not be sent to the Antarctic. The use of poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) products in packaging shall be discouraged.
8. Those carrying out activities in Antarctica shall ensure that their expeditions to Antarctica are advised of any PVC products being provided.
9. Each Government shall establish a long-term programme to remove existing abandoned fuel drums and fuel, where such removal is practical. Such programmes shall identify for clean up at the first opportunity those drum sites where the transport equipment which delivered the drums is no longer available in the same area.
10. Waste compaction, storage and incineration facilities shall be incorporated in the design and construction of ships engaged in or supporting Antarctic programmes.
Waste disposal
11. The following wastes shall be removed from the Antarctic Treaty area:
a. radio-active materials;
b. electrical batteries (including lead/acid, dry cell and other types);
c. fuel, both liquid and solid; and
d. wastes containing high levels of heavy metals or harmful persistent compounds.
12. The following wastes shall be removed from the Antarctic Treaty area unless they are incinerated in equipment which neutralizes the harmful emissions that would otherwise be produced:
a. poly-vinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam, rubber and lubricating oils which contain additives that are widely recognized as products that could produce harmful emissions;
b. all other plastic wastes, including those of unknown composition.
13. The following wastes shall be removed from the Antarctic Treaty Area to the maximum extent practicable:
a. liquid wastes, other than sewage and domestic liquid wastes;
b. solid, non-combustible wastes; and
c. fuel drums.
14. The following wastes shall be removed from Antarctic Treaty area unless incinerated, autoclaved or otherwise treated to be made sterile:
a. residues of introduced animal carcasses;
b. culture of micro-organisms; and
c. introduced avian products.
15. Combustible wastes, not removed from the Antarctic Treaty area, shall be burnt in incinerators designed to reduce harmful emissions to the maximum extent practicable.
16. All open burning of wastes shall be phased out. Pending the completion of such phase out, when it is necessary to dispose of wastes by open burning:
a. allowance shall be made for the wind and the type of wastes to be burnt to limit, as far as practicable, particulate deposition on land and to avoid such deposition over sensitive areas; and
b. wastes to be burnt shall be stored in such as way as to prevent their dispersal by wind, or access and dispersal by scavengers.
17. All wastes to be removed from the Antarctic Treaty area, or otherwise disposed of, shall be stored in such a way as to prevent their dispersal by wind or access and dispersal by scavengers.
18. Solid non-combustible wastes, which cannot be removed to land disposal sites outside the Antarctic Treaty area and which are to be disposed of at sea, shall only be disposed of at selected dump sites in deep waters, within or outside the Antarctic Treaty area and only in accordance with the international Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by the Dumping of Wastes and other Matter (London Dumping Convention), as well as any other relevant international agreements.
19. Dumping of any other wastes at sea shall be carried out in accordance with the London Dumping Convention.
20. Sewage, chemical wastes and, to the maximum extent practicable, domestic liquid wastes shall not be disposed of onto ice free land. Sewage and domestic liquid wastes may be discharged directly into the ocean, provided that:
a. such discharge be located, wherever practicable, where conditions exist for rapid dispersal;
b. large quantities of such wastes (generated by approximately 30 individuals or more), receive at least primary treatment, such as maceration; and
c. consideration be given to the advantages of treating very large quantities through systems, such as Rotating Biological Contactor Systems, to reduce biological oxygen demand (BOD) and suspended solids.
21. Vessels engaged in supporting Antarctic activities that are not fitted with incinerator facilities shall, to the maximum extent practicable, stockpile waste, excluding untreated sewage and domestic effluents, for appropriate disposal at stations, bases, deep waters sites or outside of the Antarctic Treaty area, provided that such wastes may be disposed of at stations or bases in Antarctica only in accordance with these practices, and at sea only in accordance with relevant Antarctic Treaty recommendations, the London Dumping Convention and any other relevant international agreements. Any incineration of shipboard wastes in the Antarctic Treaty area shall be conducted in incinerators of the type which are designed to reduce harmful emissions to the maximum extent practicable.
22. Those carrying out activities in Antarctica shall to the maximum extent practicable clean up the waste disposal sites and abandoned work sites of their Antarctic activities.
23. Wastes generated at inland stations shall be removed from the area of such stations to the maximum extent practicable for disposal in accordance with the practices set out in this Recommendation. Where this is not practicable, such wastes shall be concentrated in deep ice pits. In planning the location of inland stations where deep ice pits are the only practicable alternative, sites on known ice flow lines which terminate at ice-free areas or in areas of high ablation shall be avoided.
24. Wherever practicable, wastes generated at field camps shall be removed to their supporting stations, bases or ships for disposal in accordance with the practices set out in this Recommendation.
Procedures
25. These practices shall be kept under continuing review so as to ensure that they are up-dated as necessary to reflect improvements in waste disposal technology and procedures and to ensure maximum protection of the Antarctic environment. To this end it would be desirable for SCAR and the Managers of National Antarctic Programmes to continue to consider problems, prospects and opportunities for cooperation in Antarctic waste management and to provide advice on appropriate steps that may be taken.
26. Governments should ensure that their nationals and vessels are subject to measures governing waste disposal in Antarctica that are no less effective in affording protection of the environment than those applicable to their nationals and vessels outside Antarctica. Further, nothing in these practices shall be interpreted as replacing national environmental standards applicable to Antarctic activities, where such standards are stricter than those contained in these practices; nor shall any provision in these practices be interpreted as limiting governments from adopting stricter standards.
27. These practices shall not be interpreted or implemented in such fashion as to endanger human life.
Extract from Report of XVth ATCM
77. The Meeting warmly received the report of the SCAR Panel of Experts on Waste Disposal in the Antarctic, which was made in response to Recommendation XIII-4. It thanked the Australian Antarctic Division for providing the Chairman of the panel and much of the coordinating work over several years and for printing the report for SCAR. Drawing on the SCAR report and draft recommendation submitted by the delegations of the United States and Australia, the Meeting adopted Recommendation XV-3, which sets out agreed practices regarding waste management planning and waste disposal, as well as procedures to be followed in the implementation of the Recommendation. The Recommendation also states that Governments must take measures within their competence to ensure compliance with the agreed practices by all those subject to their jurisdiction, including both private operations in Antarctica and activities sponsored by Governments. It adds that the practices were not intended to prevent any Government from applying more stringent standards to Antarctic activities subject to its jurisdiction. Each Government is encouraged as a matter of policy to ensure that its nationals and vessels are subject to measures governing waste disposal in Antarctica that are no less effective in affording protection of the environment than those applicable to their nationals and vessels outside of Antarctica.
78. The Meeting noted that the implementation of some of these practices required dedicated resources that should be regarded as a legitimate cost of operating in the Antarctic.
79. The Consultative Parties reaffirmed the exhortation, contained in the Code of Conduct for Antarctic expeditions and station activities annexed to Recommendation VIII-11, that they should continue to avoid the use in Antarctica of leaded fuels or fuels containing ethylene bromide and ethylene chloride.
80. The Meeting reaffirmed the goals noted in paragraph 74 (e) of the report of the XIVth Consultative Meeting, acknowledged the desirability of relying increasingly on retrograding wastes from Antarctica, and noted the need to avoid detrimental effects on dependent or associated ecosystems outside the Antarctic Treaty area. It also reaffirmed its agreement to encourage the implementation and application of new and improved methods of waste disposal and the exchange of information on them. In this context, Representatives emphasized the value of cooperation and of mechanics for information exchange, taking note of the proposed Symposium on Logistics and the exposition on polar technologies at XXI SCAR in Brazil, which will encompass waste management technologies.
81. Some delegations expressed concern about the possible environmental impacts of wrecked vessels and crashed aircraft. The Meeting noted that in some cases efforts to remove such craft could result in environmental impacts more significant than non-removal. It stressed that the principal concern was that possible contaminants, such as fuel, should be removed.
82. Some delegations raised the issue of whether certain wastes might have potential historic value. The meeting agreed that such cases could be dealt with under the existing mechanisms for the designation of Historic Sites and Monuments.
Further work
83. Appropriate Technologies: There was discussion of the desirability of exploring further the utilization of low-impact waste management technologies and practices, including those that conserve energy and water. Attention was drawn in particular to the need for further study of the advantages and disadvantages of incineration technologies.
84. Dumping of Wastes at Sea: In addressing a future program of work, the Meeting agreed to consider further restrictions on dumping of wastes at sea, and in particular the dumping of chemical wastes and ash from incineration, bearing in mind applicable international agreements for the protection of the marine environment. The Meeting drew attention to coordinating this effort with future work to be undertaken in relation to marine pollution.
85. National Waste Management plans and a System of Classification of Wastes: Representatives took note of the reference in paragraph 4 of Recommendation XV-3 to the development of standardized formats for national waste management plans. They agreed that it would be useful to pursue this objective together with the elaboration of a classification system for wastes and their sources as called for in paragraph 2 of the Recommendation, as a means of facilitating waste management planning and the evaluation of the impacts of waste storage and disposal. Such plans might take into account projected growth in activities and the resulting volume of wastes generated, including fuel consumption by vehicles and aircraft; methods for recording and keeping track of materials taken to and removed from Antarctica, such as labelling or the application of a system of manifests; and the characteristics of wastes and their potential hazards. In the elaboration of a waste classification system, the Meeting noted that care should be taken to avoid inconsistencies with classifications employed in other relevant international agreements. In this regard specific mention was made of the 1972 International Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by the Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter and the 1989 Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal.
86. Vessels: Consideration will also be given to agreement on standards for shipboard equipment to manage ship-generated garbage in all vessels engaged in or supporting antarctic programs, both in regard to existing vessels and the design and construction of new vessels.
87. Storage and Handling of Wastes: The Meeting took note of the conclusion and the report of XIth Consultative Meeting on the appropriateness of setting up protective walls around oil storage tanks to reduce oil contamination of the marine environment, and agreed to undertake further work on appropriate means of storage and handling of wastes.
88. Environment Monitoring: In outlining future work on these issues, the Meeting took note also of Recommendation XV-5 on Environmental Monitoring in Antarctica and of the need for means to keep under continuing review waste reduction and waste management practices in Antarctica in light of new information on environmental impacts.

2.4.2 Annex III to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
Waste disposal and waste management
Article 1: General obligations
1. This Annex shall apply to activities undertaken in the Antarctic Treaty area pursuant to scientific research programmes, tourism and all other governmental and non-governmental activities in the Antarctic Treaty area for which advance notice is required under Article VII (5) of the Antarctic Treaty, including associated logistic support activities.
2. The amount of wastes produced or disposed of in the Antarctic Treaty area shall be reduced as far as practicable so as to minimise impact on the Antarctic environment and to minimise interference with the natural values of Antarctica, with scientific research and with other uses of Antarctica which are consistent with the Antarctic Treaty.
3. Waste storage, disposal and removal from the Antarctic Treaty area, as well as recycling and source reduction, shall be essential considerations in the planning and conduct of activities in the Antarctic Treaty area.
4. Wastes removed from the Antarctic Treaty area shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be returned to the country from which the activities generating the waste were organized or to any other country in which arrangements have been made for the disposal of such wastes in accordance with relevant international agreements.
5. Past and present waste disposal sites on land and abandoned work sites of Antarctic activities shall be cleaned up by the generator of such wastes and the user of such sites. This obligation shall not be interpreted as requiring:
a. the removal of any structure designated as a historic site or monument; or
b. the removal of any structure or waste material in circumstances where the removal by any practical option would result in greater adverse environmental impact than leaving the structure or waste material in its existing location.
Article 2: Waste disposal by removal from the Antarctic Treaty Area
1. The following wastes, if generated after entry into force of this Annex, shall be removed from the Antarctic Treaty area by the generator of such wastes:
a. radio-active materials;
b. electrical batteries;
c. fuel, both liquid and solid;
d. wastes containing harmful levels of heavy metals or acutely toxic or harmful persistent compounds;
e. poly-vinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam, rubber and lubricating oils, treated timbers and other products which contain additives that could produce harmful emissions if incinerated;
f. all other plastic wastes, except low density polyethylene containers (such as bags for storing wastes), provided that such containers shall be incinerated in accordance with Article 3 (1);
g. fuel drums; and
h. other solid, non-combustible wastes;
provided that the obligation to remove drums and solid non-combustible wastes contained in subparagraphs (g) and (h) above shall not apply in circumstances where the removal of such wastes by any practical option would result in greater adverse environmental impact than leaving them in their existing locations.
2. Liquid wastes which are not covered by paragraph 1 above and sewage and domestic liquid wastes, shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be removed from the Antarctic Treaty area by the generator of such wastes.
3. The following wastes shall be removed from the Antarctic Treaty area by the generator of such wastes, unless incinerated, autoclaved or otherwise treated to be made sterile:
a. residues of carcasses of imported animals;
b. laboratory culture of micro-organisms and plant pathogens; and
c. introduced avian products.
Article 3: Waste disposal by incineration
1. Subject to paragraph 2 below, combustible wastes, other than those referred to in Article 2 (1), which are not removed from the Antarctic Treaty area shall be burnt in incinerators which to the maximum extent practicable reduce harmful emissions. Any emission standards and equipment guidelines which may be recommended by, inter alia, the Committee and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research shall be taken into account. The solid residue of such incineration shall be removed from the Antarctic Treaty area.
2. All open burning of wastes shall be phased out as soon as practicable, but no later than the end of the 1998/1999 season. Pending the completion of such phase-out, when it is necessary to dispose of wastes by open burning, allowance shall be made for the wind direction and speed and the type of wastes to be burnt to limit particulate deposition and to avoid such deposition over areas of special biological, scientific, historic, aesthetic or wilderness significance including, in particular, areas accorded protection under the Antarctic Treaty.
Article 4: Other waste disposal on land
1. Wastes not removed or disposed of in accordance with Articles 2 and 3 shall not be disposed of onto ice-free areas or into fresh water systems.
2. Sewage, domestic liquid wastes and other liquid wastes not removed from the Antarctic Treaty area in accordance with Article 2, shall, to the maximum extent practicable, not be disposed of onto sea ice, ice shelves or the grounded ice-sheet, provided that such wastes which are generated by stations located inland on ice shelves or on the grounded ice-sheet may be disposed of in deep ice pits where such disposal is the only practicable option. Such pits shall not be located on known ice-flow lines which terminate at ice-free areas or in areas of high ablation.
3. Wastes generated at field camps shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be removed by the generator of such wastes to supporting stations or ships for disposal in accordance with this Annex.
Article 5: Disposal of waste in the sea
1. Sewage and domestic liquid wastes may be discharged directly into the sea, taking into account the assimilative capacity of the receiving marine environment and provided that:
a. such discharge is located, wherever practicable, where conditions exist for initial dilution and rapid dispersal; and
b. large quantities of such wastes (generated in a station where the average weekly occupancy over the austral summer is approximately 30 individuals or more) shall be treated at least by maceration.
2. The by-product of sewage treatment by the Rotary Biological Contacter process or similar processes may be disposed of into the sea provided that such disposal does not adversely affect the local environment, and provided also that any such disposal at sea shall be in accordance with Annex IV to the Protocol.
Article 6: Storage of waste
All wastes to be removed from the Antarctic Treaty area, or otherwise disposed of, shall be stored in such a way as to prevent their dispersal into the environment.
Article 7: Prohibited products
No polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), non-sterile soil, polystyrene beads, chips or similar forms of packaging, or pesticides (other than those required for scientific, medical or hygiene purposes) shall be introduced onto land or ice shelves or into water in the Antarctic Treaty area.
Article 8: Waste management planning
1. Each Party which itself conducts activities in the Antarctic Treaty area shall, in respect of those activities, establish a waste disposal classification system as a basis for recording wastes and to facilitate studies aimed at evaluating the environmental impacts of scientific activity and associated logistic support. To that end, wastes produced shall be classified as:
a. sewage and domestic liquid wastes (Group 1);
b. other liquid wastes and chemicals, including fuels and lubricants (Group 2);
c. solids to be combusted (Group 3);
d. other solid wastes (Group 4); and
e. radioactive material (Group 5).
2. In order to reduce further the impact of waste on the Antarctic environment, each such Party shall prepare and annually review and update its waste management plans (including waste reduction, storage and disposal), specifying for each fixed site, for field camps generally, and for each ship (other than small boats that are part of the operations of fixed sites or of ships and taking into account existing management plans for ships):
a. programmes for cleaning up existing waste disposal sites and abandoned work sites;
b. current and planned waste management arrangements, including final disposal;
c. current and planned arrangements for analysing the environmental effects of waste and waste management; and
d. other efforts to minimise any environmental effects of wastes and waste management.
3. Each such Party shall, as far as is practicable, also prepare an inventory of locations of past activities (such as traverses, field depots, field bases, crashed aircraft) before the information is lost, so that such locations can be taken into account in planning future scientific programmes (such as snow chemistry, pollutants in lichens or ice core drilling).
Article 9: Circulation and review of waste management plans
1. The waste management plans prepared in accordance with Article 8, reports on their implementation, and the inventories referred to in Article 8 (3), shall be included in the annual exchanges of information in accordance with Articles III and VII of the Antarctic Treaty and related Recommendations under Article IX of the Antarctic Treaty.
2. Each Party shall send copies of its waste management plans, and reports on their implementation and review, to the Committee.
3. The Committee may review waste management plans and reports thereon and may offer comments, including suggestions for minimising impacts and modifications and improvement to the plans, for the consideration of the Parties.
4. The Parties may exchange information and provide advice on, inter alia, available low waste technologies, reconversion of existing installations, special requirements for effluents, and appropriate disposal and discharge methods.
Article 10: Management plans
Each Party shall:
a. designate a waste management official to develop and monitor waste management plans; in the field, this responsibility shall be delegated to an appropriate person at each site;
b. ensure that members of its expeditions receive training designed to limit the impact of its operations on the Antarctic environment and to inform them of requirements of this Annex; and
c. discourage the use of poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) products and ensure that its expeditions to the Antarctic Treaty are advised of any PVC products they may introduce into that area in order that these products may be removed subsequently in accordance with this Annex.
Article 11: Review
This Annex shall be subject to regular review in order to ensure that it is updated to reflect improvement in waste disposal technology and procedures and to ensure thereby maximum protection of the Antarctic environment.
Article 12: Cases of emergency
1. This Annex shall not apply in cases of emergency relating to the safety of human life or of ships, aircraft or equipment and facilities of high value or the protection of the environment.
2. Notice of activities undertaken in cases of emergency shall be circulated immediately to all Parties and to the Committee.
Article 13: Amendment or modification
1. This Annex may be amended or modified by a measure adopted in accordance with Article IX (1) of the Antarctic Treaty. Unless the measure specifies otherwise, the amendment or modification shall be deemed to have been approved, and shall become effective, one year after the close of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting at which it was adopted, unless one or more of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties notifies the Depositary, within that time period, that it wishes an extension of that period or that it is unable to approve the amendment.
2. Any amendment or modification of this Annex which becomes effective in accordance with paragraph 1 above shall thereafter become effective as to any other Party when notice of approval by it has been received by the Depositary.
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