Editorial note

The Protocol for the Prevention and Elimination of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft or Incineration at Sea was adopted in 1976 and has been revised in 1995. The text reproduced in this volume is the Protocol as revised in 1995, although the 1995 amendments have not yet entered into force.

Dumping is defined as including any deliberate disposal of wastes or other matter from ships or aircraft, any deliberate disposal at sea of ships and aircraft and any deliberate disposal and burial of wastes or other matter on the seabed or in the marine subsoil from ships or aircraft (Article 3(2)). Dumping does not include the disposal at sea of waste if disposal is incidental to the normal operation by vessels or aircraft (Article 3(2)). The dumping of wastes or other matter is prohibited with the exception of those listed in Article 4 paragraph 2 (Article 4(1)): dredged material, fish waste or organic materials resulting from the processing of fish and other marine organisms, vessels (until 31 December 2000), platforms and other man-made structures at sea (provided that material capable of creating floating debris or otherwise contributing to pollution of the marine environment has been removed to the maximum extent), inert uncontaminated geological materials the chemical constituents of which are unlikely to be released into the marine environment (Article 4(2)(a) to (e)).