Pollution (Hansard, 30 November 1987)

§ Mr. Nicholas Ridley

The second international conference on the protection of the North sea, which I chaired on 24 and 25 November, achieved unanimous agreement on a wide range of positive and realistic measures to protect the North sea from pollution. I am grateful for the co-operative and constructive attitude shown by all the delegations to the Conference.

The most important measures include:

More stringent controls on the inputs of dangerous substances into rivers, one of the major sources of such inputs;
Reductions of inputs of nutrients into affected areas;
Assessment of the effects of atmospheric pollution of the North sea and reduction of atmospheric emissions of pollutants where possible;
An end to the dumping in the North sea of harmful industrial wastes, by the end of 1989;
A ceiling, at 1987 levels, on dangerous contaminants in sewage sludge disposed of in the North sea;
Reducing the use of incineration of wastes at sea by 65 per cent, by 1 January 1991, and seeking the agreement of the Oslo convention to phasing out this practice by 31 December 1994;
Recommending to the International Maritime Organisation that the North sea be declared a Special Area 417 under Annex V (Garbage) of the MARPOL 73/78 convention (this would effectively prohibit the dumping of garbage from ships anywhere in the North sea;
Applying the best available technology to minimise pollution from radioactive discharges;
Setting up a task force to ensure better co-ordination of North sea research and monitoring (the United Kingdom is to host the inaugural meeting in early 1988);
Enhanced co-operation on airborne surveillance of off shore operations and of shipping;
Recognition of the special needs of the Wadden sea.

It was also agreed to hold a third conference, in The Netherlands, in early 1990, to review progress.

I am arranging for copies of the ministerial declaration to be placed in the Library of the House.