Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the range of contaminants assessed for disposal at sea was last reviewed, and whether there is a regular programme for review.

There is no limit to which contaminants can be recommended for analysis for applications for disposal at sea. Cefas – the agency that provides contaminant sampling advice – primarily uses the OSPAR Guidelines for the Management of Dredged Material at Sea (Agreement 2014-06, Updated 2024). The testing of Primary List contaminants will be recommended for most applications, whilst Secondary List contaminants will also be recommended in some applications, where considered relevant. Ultimately recommendations are based on likelihood of adverse effects and practicality considerations. The OSPAR Expert Assessment Panel on Dredged Material last reviewed these lists for the update of the Agreement in 2024. The UK has convened several Action Level Reviews against which contaminants are assessed (in 2003, 2005, 2015 and 2020).