565 
In tandem with the enactment of a domestic law on dumping, 
the U.S. was a leading force behind the adoption of the 1972 
International Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution 
by Dumping of Waste and Other Matter ("London Dumping Convention"), 
which has since been ratified by the U.S. and 47 other commecias == 
Consistent with domestic law, the Convention prohibits dumping 
of high-level radioactive wastes and requires special permits 
for the dumping of low-level wastes, with the added understanding 
that the contracting parties take full account of any recommenda- 
tions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in seeking 
a permit. During the past several years the IAEA has established 
detailed criteria for ocean dumping of radioactive waste (e.g., 
dumpsite depth must be at least 4,000 meters (2.5 miles), they 
must be between 50° south and 50° north latitude, and permit 
requests must be preceded by detailed environmental peusasteneen 
These and other criteria have not been added to our domestic 
regulations. 
Within the past year, some EPA and other government officials 
have expressed a renewed interest in using the oceans as a dump- 
13/ Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping 
of Wastes and Other Matter, Dec. 29, 1972, U.S.T. 2403, T.1I.A.S. 
No. 8165 [hereinafter cited as the "London Dumping Convention" 
ore “iEjoSe 3 - 
14/ The IAEA Revised Definition and Recommendations of 1978 
Concerning Radioactive Wastes and Other Radioactive Material, 
INFCIRC/205/Add. 1/Rev. 1, IAEA (August 1978). These criteria 
were issued in relation to two provision of the LDC, i.e., 
Annex I (para. 6) and Annex II (Section D). 
