*********** 082294B.ENV *********** Contributory Category: CHM Country: China From: FBIS CD-ROM Disk #2 1st Quarter 1994 FBIS-CHI-94-034: Hard Copy 18 Feb 1994 OW1802084094 Beijing XINHUA in English 0826 GMT 18 Feb 94 KEYWORDS: China; Coastal Pollution, Industrial Waste, Ocean dumping, Radioactive Waste +++++ PRC BANS SEA DUMPING OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE Beijing, February 18 (XINHUA) -- Beginning Sunday, China will ban dumping of all kinds of radioactive wastes and disposal of industrial waste and incineration of industrial waste and sewage sludge in its sea waters, a Chinese official said here today. According to Yang Wenhe, deputy-director of the State Bureau of Oceanography, the Chinese Government has accepted the terms of three international resolutions concerning disposal at sea of radioactive wastes and other radioactive matter and the phasing out of sea disposal of industrial waste and incineration at sea. The resolutions were approved by member nations of the convention on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping wastes and other matter in London last November and will take effect on February 20, 1994. "The approval and implementation of the three resolutions means a stricter global control of dumping of wastes at sea," Yang told XINHUA. "China will strictly comply with the resolutions and implement them in letter and spirit," he said. "China will ban the dumping of waste matters which do not conform to the standards set by the resolutions," he added. "disposing of wastes without license or dumping irresponsibly at sea will be punished severely according to law." With special permission, disposal of low-level radioactive waste at sea is allowed, according to China's present "rules of controlling dumping at sea." Controlled low-level toxic or non-toxic industrial waste is also allowed to be dumped at sea with permission. But incineration at sea has never taken place in China. "China will make necessary revisions of the rules and regulations concerned," Yang said. According to the Chinese official, the dumping of wastes at sea has been under strict management and control in China, according to a system which includes application, examination, approval and issuing of permits. The State Council has approved 38 dumping regions in China's sea waters. The major dumping material has been castoff from dredging, according to Yang. "In recent years, no pollution accidents caused by dumping of waste in Chinese seas have occurred. Close monitoring also indicates that the water quality around the dumping regions remains fine," he said. ************** END Msg. B.ENV **************