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8. At-sea incineration of highly toxic chlorinated 
organic wastes has come under strict government regulation 
and monitoring, by virtue of the Ocean Dumping Law and the 
London Dumping Convention. 
9. Scientifically sound and environmentally protective 
bioassay and bioaccumulation testing procedures have been 
developed, although significant abuses have occurred in their 
use. 
Major Ocean Dumping Issues of the 1980's 
1. SEWAGE SLUDGE 
Background: 
In 1977, Congress amended the Ocean Dumping Law to 
prohibit the ocean dumping of sewage sludge which “unreasonably 
degrades" the marine environment after 1981. The Legislative 
History of this amendment clearly indicates that Congress 
intended that “unreasonable degradation" for this purpose be 
determined strictly on the basis of anticipated harm to the 
Marine environment. The London Dumping Convention, whose 
standards and criteria are binding on the United States (see, 
§102(a) of the MPRSA, as amended in 1976), likewise prohibits 
the approval of ocean dumping for wastes, including sewage 
sludge, which contain specified "black list" constituents 
(i.e., mercury and cadmium compounds, organohalogens, and oil 
and grease) as other than "trace contaminants." 
However, a 1981 Federal district court decision (New York 
City v. EPA), which the Administration steadfastly refused to 
