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objection, thereby opting out of its provisions. At the same 

 time, Russia indicated its intent to seek means of establishing 

 the capability of adhering to the prohibition as rapidly as 

 possible. As will be noted, the U.S. has sought, in a variety 

 of ways, to work with Russia in fulfilling this commitment. 



The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): 



In 1992 at the request of the London Convention, the 

 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) initiated an effort to 

 evaluate the state of radioactive contamination due to dumped 

 radioactive waste in the Barents and Kara Seas; to assess the 

 risks to human health and the environment; and, if necessary, to 

 examine possible remedial actions. Exploratory cruises to the 

 dumping areas were conducted in 1992, 1993 and 1994. Since 

 1993, the U.S. has contributed a total of $270,000 from funds 

 designated to support international organizations, and also 

 provided the expert services of U.S. scientists to the Agency's 

 Marine Environmental Laboratory. It is widely recognized that 

 it was the U.S. contribution which made this program possible. 

 The results of the IAEA's efforts are to be reported to the 

 London Convention in 1996, and the collection and management of 

 scientific data is being coordinated with the regionally-based 

 Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy. 



While it appears from the IAEA's evaluation that there are 

 no significant regional or global effects at present from the 

 dumped waste, the gradual deterioration of the barrier materials 

 used to contain the contaminants could lead to future impacts. 

 These could occur through contamination of the marine food 

 chain, possibly resulting in the radiation exposure of humans 

 through the consumption of fish and other marine foodstuffs. 

 Since the wastes are lying in shallow waters, the possibility of 

 radiation exposure by other routes -- such as the movement and 

 transport of the waste packages by natural events (ice or storm 

 action), or deliberate human action — cannot be ruled out. 

 The half-lives of the radioactive materials involved are very 

 long (tens of thousands of years) and, therefore, the possible 

 impact of climatic change has also to be taken into account. In 

 order to provide answers to these questions, it is necessary to 

 have a thorough understanding of the present and future 

 physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the 

 environment surrounding the wastes and of the wastes themselves. 



The Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS) : 



The Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS) was 

 established in 1991. Its origins extend back to 1989, when the 

 eight Arctic nations agreed to a process of creating an 



