Deep ocean disposal of toxic industrial wastes

Numerical simulations can be used to predict the transport and fate of many materials disposed of in the ocean, if enough critical information is available on rates of transfers of the wastes in question. Continued ocean dumping must be accompanied by a program of research and monitoring to validate those speculative transfer functions in the original models that justify the practice. Such an approach is taken by the NEA of the OECD in the continuing use of the NE Atlantic low-level radioactive waste dumpsite used by some OECD member nations. The impacts of deep-ocean dumping will depend on whether the strategy of disposal is to contain or disperse the waste. One of these two alternatives must be chosen and this choice will depend on 1) toxicity, 2) waste form, 3) concentration and immobilization in the biota or sediments, 4) natural rates of decay and 5) total quantities to be dumped.