[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 40, Volume 22]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 40CFR227.7]

[Page 209]
 
                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 
         CHAPTER I--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 227--CRITERIA FOR THE EVALUATION OF PERMIT APPLICATIONS FOR OCEAN 
DUMPING OF MATERIALS--Table of Contents
 
                     Subpart B--Environmental Impact
 
Sec. 227.7  Limits established for specific wastes or waste constituents.

    Materials containing the following constituents must meet the 
additional limitations specified in this section to be deemed acceptable 
for ocean dumping:
    (a) Liquid waste constituents immiscible with or slightly soluble in 
seawater, such as benzene, xylene, carbon disulfide and toluene, may be 
dumped only when they are present in the waste in concentrations below 
their solubility limits in seawater. This provision does not apply to 
materials which may interact with ocean water to form insoluble 
materials;
    (b) Radioactive materials, other than those prohibited by 
Sec. 227.5, must be contained in accordance with the provisions of 
Sec. 227.11 to prevent their direct dispersion or dilution in ocean 
waters;
    (c) Wastes containing living organisms may not be dumped if the 
organisms present would endanger human health or that of domestic 
animals, fish, shellfish and wildlife by:
    (1) Extending the range of biological pests, viruses, pathogenic 
microorganisms or other agents capable of infesting, infecting or 
extensively and permanently altering the normal populations of 
organisms;
    (2) Degrading uninfected areas; or
    (3) Introducing viable species not indigenous to an area.
    (d) In the dumping of wastes of highly acidic or alkaline nature 
into the ocean, consideration shall be given to:
    (1) The effects of any change in acidity or alkalinity of the water 
at the disposal site; and
    (2) The potential for synergistic effects or for the formation of 
toxic compounds at or near the disposal site. Allowance may be made in 
the permit conditions for the capability of ocean waters to neutralize 
acid or alkaline wastes; provided, however, that dumping conditions must 
be such that the average total alkalinity or total acidity of the ocean 
water after allowance for initial mixing, as defined in Sec. 227.29, may 
be changed, based on stoichiometric calculations, by no more than 10 
percent during all dumping operations at a site to neutralize acid or 
alkaline wastes.
    (e) Wastes containing biodegradable constituents, or constituents 
which consume oxygen in any fashion, may be dumped in the ocean only 
under conditions in which the dissolved oxygen after allowance for 
initial mixing, as defined in Sec. 227.29, will not be depressed by more 
than 25 percent below the normally anticipated ambient conditions in the 
disposal area at the time of dumping.