[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 40, Volume 24]

[Revised as of July 1, 2006]

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.