2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | Marine Protection Permitting Program
Oceans cover more than 70 percent of the earth's surface and are home to an abundance of life
Sea turtle swimming in the ocean
Our oceans generate more than half of the oxygen we breathe, absorb carbon dioxide, and influence our climate and weather patterns
image of ocean surface
In coastal communities and beyond, healthy oceans provide food, medicine, recreation, cultural value, and transportation
Image of a surfer on a wave in the ocean.
One of the ways theEnvironmental Protection Agency helps keep our oceans clean and healthy is by implementing the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act—a federal statute which prevents many harmful materials from entering our oceans.
Image of calm ocean and sky
Before the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA)
Before the MPRSA was enacted in 1972, little attention was given to the environmental impacts of disposing wastes at sea
Our coastal and ocean waters were often used as a dumping grounds for many types of wastes which polluted the water. In the 1960s and 1970s, the United States and many other countries became increasingly concerned about the environmental impacts of uncontrolled dumping of materials into the oceans.
The U.S. recognized that we needed to put a stop to unregulated dumping of harmful materials in our oceans
In 1972, the United States became a key member of an international treaty organization called the London Convention,which aimed to protect the ocean from deliberate disposal of wastes. Later that year, U.S. Congress passed theMarine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) to implement the requirements of the London Convention treaty and put a stop to uncontrolled dumping of wastes in the ocean.
Illustration of dredging in New York Harbor from Harper's Weekly magazine, 1882
50 Years of Ocean Protection
Over the past 50 years, the MPRSA has been amended to better protect the ocean environment, human health, and economic uses of the ocean.
1972
The MPRSA banned the ocean disposal of radiological waste, chemical waste, biological warfare agents, high-level radioactive waste, and many other types of waste
Image of garbage loaded on a barge in New York harbor
1972
Other ocean disposal activities, such as incineration of treated wood, also began to be phased out in 1972
Image of barge with treated wood being incinerated on board for disposal at sea
1988
The MPRSA was amended to ban the ocean dumping of sewage sludge and industrial wastes
Image of a barge in the ocean releasing a plume of sewage in its wake
1991
Incineration of wastes at sea was no longer permitted under the MPRSA
Learn more about the history of the MPRSA by exploring the MPRSA Timeline.
Image of vessel being towed out to sea to be sunk in the ocean
Bird's eye view of a boat in the ocean
Image of fishing vessels docked in a harbor
What types of activities are permitted under the MPRSA today?
The MPRSA prevents harmful or toxic materials from being dumped into the ocean. A limited number of materials are permitted to be ocean dumped if there is no better alternative to manage the material on land and if the material does not pose a significant risk to the marine environment.
Dredged material disposal
The majority of material that is disposed in the ocean under an MPRSA permit is dredged material. Dredged material is sediment which has been removed from the bottom of a waterway to maintain marine navigation channels, ports, and harbors. Only dredged material that does not pose a significant risk of introducing harmful contaminants into the environment may be dumped at an ocean site.
Vessel disposal
Vessels that are no longer usable and cannot be disposed on land or used for parts may be sunk in the ocean. These retired vessels undergo thorough preparation and cleaning before being sunk in the ocean to ensure that there is minimal impact on the marine environment.
Marine mammal carcasses disposal
Occasionally a carcass of a marine mammal (e.g., a whale or sea lion) washes close to shore and poses a risk to human health or navigation. These carcasses are sometimes disposed in the ocean by being towed offshore and sunk under an MPRSA general permit.
Ocean disposals due to emergency situations
Sometimes there are emergencies that can only be addressed by disposing materials into the ocean. In situations where there is an immediate threat to human health and other no feasible option, certain materials are permitted to be dumped into the ocean.
Burials at sea
The burial at sea general permit allows human remains to be buried at sea under the MPRSA.
Ice piers disposal
The National Science Foundation may dispose of human-made ice piers from its research station in Antarctica under an MPRSA general permit.
The MPRSA protects human health and the environment, now and in the future
Designated ocean sites are monitored regularly by EPA Chief Scientists
EPA Chief Scientists collect biological, chemical, and physical oceanographic data at ocean sites to monitor the environmental conditions at the sites. These data are used to make decisions about future use of the site and to ensure that MPRSA permitted activities are not causing lasting environmental impacts.
The MPRSA will continue to protect our future oceans
The MPRSA will have a role to play in regulating the safe addition of materials to the ocean to remove carbon dioxide or combat ocean acidification. Regulating these materials is important to ensure that we will not unintentionally harm the marine environment in our efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
