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CoNCLUS LON 
RECENT STUDIES ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF PAST DUMPING AND INCREASING 
CONCERN ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF LAND DISPOSAL HAVE CONVINCED US THAT THE 
OCEAN MUST BE INCLUDED AS A LEGITIMATE DISPOSAL OPTION IN ANY 
INTEGRATED AND WELL THOUGHT OUT WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM- HOWEVER, WE 
CANNOT AFFORD TO OPEN UP THE OCEAN INDISCRIMINATELY, TO RETURN TO AN 
"QUT OF SIGHT-OUT OF MIND” PHILOSOPHY. THE CHALLENGE NOW IS TO DEFINE 
THE PARAMETERS OF “SAFE DISPOSAL”, OF “UNREASONABLE DEGRADATION’ AND OF 
"ACCEPTABLE RISK” IN SUCH A WAY THAT INTELLIGENT JUDGMENTS AND RATIONAL 
TRADEOFFS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS AND COSTS CAN BE MADE ON A 
CASE-BY-CASE BASIS- THE AGENCY BELIEVES INTELLIGENT JUDGMENTS AND 
RATIONAL TRADEOFFS, ALONG WITH CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON TECHNIQUES TO 
RECYCLE AND REDUCE THE GENERATION OF WASTES, ARE THE PRIMARY 
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOLUTION TO OUR WASTE MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS- JHE 
OCEAN HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN THAT SOLUTION AND WE WILL BE SEEKING 
WIDESPREAD AGENCY AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN DETERMINING WHAT CHANGES TO 
OUR REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES AND TESTING METHODS WILL BEST ASSURE THAT 
THE PROPER SAFEGUARDS ARE APPLIED- 
