During the 23rd Session of the MEPC, held in July 1986, 

 the U.S. raised its proposed amendment of Annex V with the 

 full Committee and it was agreed that, upon entry into force 

 of the Annex, the amendment would be considered through the 

 International Maritime Organization's "tacit acceptance" 

 process. Under this procedure, the proposed change would 

 enter into force on a specified date unless a stipulated 

 number of contracting parties expressly indicated their 

 objection to the amendment. The tacit acceptance process is 

 intended to speed adoption of measures that are non-contro- 

 versial and it is expected that the U.S. proposal will be 

 adopted easily. 



Steps also have been taken to urge other nations to 

 ratify Annex V. Prior to the 23rd Session of the MEPC, the 

 U.S. Coast Guard, which serves as the lead U.S. agency on 

 actions pertaining to the MARPOL Convention, submitted an 

 information paper developed jointly by the Commission and the 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The paper 

 describes the problem and the need for responsive action. In 

 addition, the head of the U.S. delegation encouraged favor- 

 able action by other contracting governments by calling 

 attention to the severity of the marine debris problem, by 

 announcing U.S. intentions to actively pursue ratification of 

 Annex V, and by promising to distribute a more detailed paper 

 on the problem and possible solutions in advance of the 24th 

 MEPC meeting scheduled for 16-20 February 1987. 



Looking forward to the 24th Session of the MEPC and 

 recognizing U.S. commitments to further address Annex V 

 matters, the Commission, in consultation with its Committee 

 of Scientific Advisors, drafted a paper on proposed consider- 

 ations and actions relating to implementation of Annex V. 

 The paper was reviewed by prospective members of the U.S. 

 delegation to the next MEPC meeting and it provided the basis 

 for a working paper which the U.S. submitted to the MEPC in 

 November 198 6. Among other things, the paper reviews 

 potential technical and administrative actions which would 

 help resolve the problem and enhance implementation of Annex 

 V. It also proposes that the MEPC consider developing 

 recommended guidelines on measures to implement the Annex. 



The London Dumping Convention — The problem of plastic 

 pollution and marine debris also has been raised during 

 recent sessions of parties to the London Dumping Convention. 

 Among other things, the London Dumping Convention (formally 

 entitled the Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollu- 

 tion by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter) prohibits the 

 at-sea disposal of persistent plastics which may interfere 

 with fishing, navigation, or other legitimate uses of the 

 sea. At the Ninth Session of Convention members in 1985, a 

 resolution was adopted calling upon member countries to 



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