557 



the time that they considered RW disposal at sea still an open question. Canada reserved the right 

 to sea disposal of RW produced in the decontamination of contaminated soils, as did France for 

 tritium [10]. 



China has taken a more and more active position on these matters recently. 



The UN Conference on Environment and Development endorsed an initiative by Denmark, 

 Iceland and Norway in favor of adopting a recommendation prohibiting RW disposal at sea. The 

 recommendation [17], adopted by a consensus of some 150 nations (including Russia), will be re- 

 flected more and more strongly in the positions of many nations. 



1.4. Conclusion 



RW dumping at sea is strictly regulated by international law, primarily the 1972 Convention 

 on Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Discharges of Wastes and Other Materials (the London 

 Convention), as well as special IAEA regulations and standards. 



According to official IAEA data, the current practice of RW disposal and location in coun- 

 tries that use nuclear technologies meets international legal requirements in most cases (although, 

 according to unofficial data, some countries are violating them). 



In 1992, the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro favored 

 ending the practice of RW disposal at sea The same year, the Conventions on the Protection of 

 the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Region and on the Protection of the Black Sea fi-om 

 Pollution were signed (with Russia signing), as was the Convention on the Protection of the Ma- 

 rine Environment of the Northeastern Atlantic (which the Russian Federation has not yet signed). 

 The latter (Paris) Convention grants Great Britain and France the opportunity for staged reduc- 

 tion of RW discharges into the sea through 2018, that is, it offers a solution that meets Russia's 

 interests and capabilities. 



IS 



