Waste disposal
and management

Annex III to the Environment Protocol requires that "the amount of wastes produced or disposed of in the Antarctic Treaty area shall be reduced as far as practicable so as to minimize impacts on the Antarctic environment and to minimize interference with the natural values of Antarctica, with the scientific research and with other uses of Antarctica which are consistent with the Antarctic Treaty” (Art. 1.2).

The Annex identifies types of waste which have to be removed and establishes rules for the storage and disposal of waste. Some products like PCBs cannot be introduced into Antarctica at all.

The Annex also provides for waste management planning and the removal of wastes of past activities.

In 2013 the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting adopted the Clean-up Manual to assist with addressing their obligations under Article 1(5) of Annex III to the Protocol (latest update: 2019)