Selection and Prioritisation Procedure of Hazardous Substances for the Marine Environment within OSPAR/DYNAMEC

Abstract

In 1998, the contracting parties to the OSPAR Convention agreed on a “Strategy with regard to Hazardous Substances”: [...] the prevention of pollution of the maritime area by continuously reducing discharges, emissions and losses of hazardous substances thereby moving towards the target of their cessation within one generation (25 years, year 2020) [...]. In OSPAR, an ad-hoc working group on the development of a dynamic selection and prioritisation mechanism for hazardous substances (called DYNAMEC) has developed a dynamic selection and prioritisation scheme for the marine environment. The approach taken within OSPAR and DYNAMEC to implement the political agreement into practical instruments is summarised in the following.