Sinking Sea of Silent Disaster: History of Ocean Dumping of Radioactive Waste (1959-1993)

Sinking Sea of Silent Disaster: History of Ocean Dumping of Radioactive Waste (1959-1993)

Russia and the former Soviet Union dumped large quantities of radioactive waste in the Northern and Far Eastern seas between 1959 and 1992. In the northern sea area, 879 TBq of liquid waste and 574 TBq of solid waste were dumped, and in the Far Eastern sea area, 456 TBq of liquid waste and 252 TBq of solid waste were dumped. In particular, in October 1993, the Russian Navy dumped 900 cubic meters of liquid radioactive waste into the Sea of Japan, which drew international criticism and subsequent dumping was halted.

Western countries also dumped radioactive waste at sea from the 1950s to the 1980s. The United Kingdom and Belgium dumped approximately 28,500 drums into the English Channel, and the United States and other European countries have also been dumping at sea for many years. These dumping practices have provided the backdrop for stricter international regulations, which were initiated by the London Convention in 1972 and completely banned in a 1993 amendment.

In Japan, geological disposal was adopted as an alternative to ocean dumping, and plans for such disposal are still underway. Past ocean dumping of radioactive waste by Russia and Western countries has had a serious impact on the marine environment, leading to the current strict international regulations.