§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on an international ban on disposal of sewage at sea. [63516]
§ Mr. MeacherThe International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73–78) has an Annex on Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships. The UK ratified this Annex in 1995 and we are working to promote its entry into force.
The UK, other member states and those countries seeking accession to the European Union are, or will be, obliged to implement the requirements of several directives to protect the water and marine environment from land-based sewage discharges.
For example, the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive requires by 2005 at least secondary treatment for all discharges to coastal waters from sewage treatment works serving more than 10,000 inhabitants. In England and Wales this level of treatment will be provided by the same deadline for coastal discharges from treatment works serving more than 2,000 inhabitants.
Furthermore the UK ceased sea dumping of sewage sludge (a by-product of treatment processes) in 1998 as required by the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. Such dumping is now banned in the north-east Atlantic under the OSPAR Convention. At the global level, the London Convention Protocol 1996 requires that sewage sludge may only be considered for disposal at sea following a detailed waste prevention audit, consideration of other waste management options and assessment of potential environmental impacts. The UK was one of the first countries to ratify the protocol and has been active in promoting its entry into force as soon as possible.