Antarctic Clean-Up Manual
The Representatives,
Reaffirming the commitment of Parties to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the Protocol) to reduce as far as practicable the amount of waste produced or disposed of in the Antarctic Treaty area, so as to minimise impact on the Antarctic environment and to minimise interference with the natural values of Antarctica, with scientific research and with other uses of Antarctica that are consistent with the Antarctic Treaty;
Recalling the requirement under Article 1(5) of Annex III to the Protocol that past and present waste disposal sites on land and abandoned work sites of Antarctic activities shall be cleaned up by the generator of such wastes and the user of such sites, provided that such actions shall not require the removal of any structure designated as a historic site or monument, or the removal of any structure or waste material in circumstances where the removal by any practical option would result in greater adverse environmental impact than leaving the structure or waste material in its existing location;
Recalling also the 2010 Antarctic Treaty Meeting of Experts on Implications of Climate Change for Antarctic Management and Governance, which noted that climate changes create the potential for localised release of contamination from past waste disposal sites and abandoned work sites through increased melting;
Noting the actions taken by Parties since the entry into force of the Protocol to effectively handle waste and to clean up past waste disposal sites on land and abandoned work sites;
Noting also the efforts of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs to develop and formulate best practice procedures for waste management, including through the workshop on Waste Management in Antarctica held in Hobart in 2006;
Welcoming the development by the Committee for Environmental Protection of a Clean-Up Manual that Parties can apply and use, as appropriate, to assist with meeting their obligations under Article 1(5) of Annex III to the Protocol;
Recommend that Parties:
1. disseminate and encourage the use of the Clean-Up Manual annexed to this Resolution, as appropriate, to assist with addressing their obligations under Article 1(5) of Annex III to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty; and
2. encourage the Committee for Environmental Protection to continue to develop the Clean-Up Manual with the input of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs on scientific and practical matters, respectively.
The Representatives,
Reaffirming the commitment of Parties to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the Protocol) to reduce as far as practicable the amount of waste produced or disposed of in the Antarctic Treaty area, so as to minimise impact on the Antarctic environment and to minimise interference with the natural values of Antarctica, with scientific research and with other uses of Antarctica that are consistent with the Antarctic Treaty;
Recalling the requirement under Article 1(5) of Annex III to the Protocol that past and present waste disposal sites on land and abandoned work sites of Antarctic activities shall be cleaned up by the generator of such wastes and the user of such sites, provided that such actions shall not require the removal of any structure designated as a historic site or monument, or the removal of any structure or waste material in circumstances where the removal by any practical option would result in greater adverse environmental impact than leaving the structure or waste material in its existing location;
Recalling also the 2010 Antarctic Treaty Meeting of Experts on Implications of Climate Change for Antarctic Management and Governance, which noted that climate changes create the potential for localised release of contamination from past waste disposal sites and abandoned work sites through increased melting;
Noting the actions taken by Parties since the entry into force of the Protocol to effectively handle waste and to clean up past waste disposal sites on land and abandoned work sites;
Noting also the efforts of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs to develop and formulate best practice procedures for waste management, including through the workshop on Waste Management in Antarctica held in Hobart in 2006;
Welcoming the development by the Committee for Environmental Protection of a Clean-Up Manual that Parties can apply and use, as appropriate, to assist with meeting their obligations under Article 1(5) of Annex III to the Protocol;
Recommend that Parties:
1. disseminate and encourage the use of the Clean-Up Manual annexed to this Resolution, as appropriate, to assist with addressing their obligations under Article 1(5) of Annex III to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty; and
2. encourage the Committee for Environmental Protection to continue to develop the Clean-Up Manual with the input of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs on scientific and practical matters, respectively.
