Britain signs convention on nuclear waste

Press, 20 July 1987, Page 31

Britain signs convention on nuclear waste

NZPA—AAP uva Britain has become the 10th nation to sign the South Pacific Regional Environment Protection Convention. The convention is aimed particularly at the prohibition of the dumping of nuclear waste in the Pacific. The United States, France and New Zealand, with six South Pacific island nations, signed the convention earlier but Australia has yet to do so. An Australian High Commission spokesman said Canberra was still enthusiastic about the treaty. He said the signing was delayed as parts of the convention had to be referred to the states, and also because of the recent Federal election.

The British High Commissioner, Roger Barltrop, said at the signing ceremony that Britain was acting in respect of its one remaining dependency in the south Pacific, Pitcairn and the adjacent islands of Henderson, Ducie and Deono. He said Britain did not, and did not intend to,

dispose of radioactive waste in the South Pacific and would take all appropriate measures to prevent, reduce and control pollution of the marine environment in the region. Mr Barltrop also referred to the 1972-73 International Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and other Matter. He said Britain’s view was that the sea disposal of “certain kinds of radioactive waste within the internationally agreed limits and in accordance with strict technical criteria is safe and environmentally acceptable.” The High Commissioner examined each document he signed and said tongue-in-cheek that he was making sure that the South Pacific NuclearFree Zone treaty protocols were not among them. Britain, the United States and France have declined to sign this treaty. The Soviet Union and China have signed.