After World War II more than 40,000 tons of munitions have been dumped in the Baltic Sea. Mostly in the area east of Bornholm, southeast of Gotland - in the proximity of the Polish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). It is likely that chemical munitions were also dumped in the Gdansk Deep, off the Polish coast. There are also indications that part of the warfare was thrown overboard during transport to various dump sites, though the amount is not known.
Chemical munitions used in World War II included mustard, lewisite, sarin, and tabun. When these toxic agents are exposed to seawater, they can react to form additional harmful substances: lewisite, for example, could degrade to release arsenic near disposal sites.
WOCMDS create a potential risk for the bottom fauna and flora in the Baltic Sea Area. Although majority of the dumpsites are situated in the deep water, with relatively low oxygen concentration and abundance of marine biota, they can become a source of contamination for both biota located in the dumpsites in the upper and lower column during a mixing event, or for benthic biota in more shallow areas, due to the action of bottom currents. Possible challenges include adverse effects on fish stocks wellbeing, and transfer of contaminants via food chain from benthic animals to fish preying on them (ie. cod).
WOCMDS present a potential threat for fishing vessels operating from Poland. Possible impact on other activities, like planned offshore wind farms, exists in the area neighboring Slupsk Furrow, where munitions probably dumped en-route to official dumping ground are located. Suspected dumpsite at the Gdansk Deep could interfere with future oil exploration, as submarine oil deposits are situated in the vicinity.

Polish scientific community is actively involved in the projects and activities aimed to examine the environmental effects related to WOCMDS.
Institute of Oceanology - Polish Academy of Science is the coordinator of an integrated research project CHEMSEA. Together with Finland, Sweden, Germany and Lithuania research dealing with the WOCMDS have being conducted in the frame of this project. Research include survey of dumpsites, characterization of pollution and environmental parameters within them. It also focuses on the effects of WOCMD on marine biota. Results so far show large dispersion of CW objects on the Gotland Deep Dumpsite area. Fish from dumpsites are characterized with higher frequency of diseases than those from control areas. Genotoxic effects and damages of cellular membranes were observed in both fish and caged mussels exposed at the dumpsites. Pollution of sediments in the vicinity of objects is under investigation, results are expected in June. The magnitude and direction of bottom currents in the dumpsite areas suggest that spreading of contaminated material to other areas of the Baltic Sea is entirely possible in the day-to-day current pattern, and very likely during extreme events, such as the inflow of saline water from the North Sea.

Since 1950s several incidents related to WOCMDs have occurred in the Polish EEZ. Some of them were associated with beaching of CW on the Polish Coast, and other with accidental catches of CW by Fishermen. Decontamination of fishing vessels in contact with WOCMDS has been performed on several occasions, and decontamination of contaminated beaches was performed after CW beaching. Treatment of injured fishing personnel and tourist was performed by responsible units.

Poland has the capacity to respond to incidents related to WOCMDS, incl. to conduct hazard assessment and chemical sampling, to determine/identify the type of chemical contaminants as well as to conduct decontamination operations of persons, equipment and terrain.

Contingency procedures are in place in Poland, though some procedures were developed in 1990’s, and need reviewing. CHEMSEA project is currently reviewing those procedures, and will suggest necessary changes, also to keep it unified in the Baltic states. Possible plan amendments will be submitted to national government (via e.g. Chief Inspectorate of Environment Protection and to HELCOM).
Capacity in terms of predicting possible leakages magnitude and spreading are being currently built in Institute of Oceanology - Polish Academy of Science. Operational model, based on average wind situation, is being developed for the dumpsite areas. Model will try to accurately predict bottom currents spreading of WOCMDS and their mixing with upper water column. This model will be available for the Maritime Authorities in Poland as an outcome of the CHEMSEA project.

The Polish government and other institutions provide information and raise awareness on WOCMDS by direct actions and support to international projects and activities.
In 2012 and 2013 a series of conferences “Poland for Baltic Sea” dedicated for sea users and local maritime administration were organized by the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection. Polish Officials raise the issue of WOCMDS during interviews, official meetings and public debates. Information on WOCMDS is available on the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection webpage.
Polish representatives have participated in a number of international and national conferences regarding WOCMDs related problems, presenting results of their research. Several publications were published in international and national journals.
Series of training for Fishermen were performed by Polish Naval Academy, in the frame of CHEMSEA project, with the support of Institute of Oceanology - Polish Academy of Science scientists.
Number of TV broadcasts in national television was performed, both originating from government level and CHEMSEA project. An international document related to WOCMD is being currently assembled by GEORAMA TV for the Arte television channel.

There is a standing cooperation between scientific community (Institute of Oceanology - Polish Academy of Science, Military University of Technology, Polish Naval Academy) and a government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Chief Inspectorate of Environment Protection) in regard to WOCMD studies, development of international reports and dissemination of knowledge.

Poland supports development of cooperation with international partners – states, regional organizations and NGOs in the area of WOCMDS.
Poland is a member of the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), which works to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution through intergovernmental co-operation between Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the European Union. Representative of Poland - dr. Jacek Bełdowski co-chairs ad hoc expert group to Update and Review the Existing Information on Dumped Chemical Munitions in the Baltic Sea (HELCOM MUNI), established in 2010 by HELCOM. HELCOM MUNI has prepared review and update of report on dumped chemical weapons in the Baltic Sea, which documents the location of major dumpsites, assess the ecological risks related to sea dumped chemical munition and provide a set of recommendations. The work by HELCOM is as an example of regional co-operation that could be used in setting of guidelines for other regions.
Representative of Poland – prof. Stanisław Witek is a chairman of the International Scientific Advisory Board on Sea-Dumped Chemical Weapons (ISAB), which gathers scientists, researchers and representatives of environmental organizations from Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Japan, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the United States working in the fields of environment protection and destruction of chemical weapons. The ISAB provides qualified scientific and technological information, evaluations and analytical recommendations regarding sea-dumped chemical weapons and promotes international cooperation on that issue.
Poland is the coordinator of the CHEMSEA project, uniting 11 Institutions from Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, Finland and Germany. This is the research project with an administrative component, and receives support from maritime administration, ministries of environment and military of the partner states. CHEMSEA is a flagship project of the Baltic Sea Region Strategy, financed by the EU Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013. The project was initiated in autumn 2011 and will last through early 2014. The Polish Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection is a leader “Assess the need to clean up chemical weapons project” - flagship initiative under Priority Area HAZARDS in EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea region (several Baltic Sea countries are involved).
Polish experts and institutions are involved in the International Dialogue on Underwater Munitions (IDUM), that serves as a global forum for underwater munitions information exchange on the topics of policy, science, technology and economics of investing in marine resources. The Third IDUM meeting, focused on sea-dumped chemical munitions, was held in Sopot, Poland in 2011.
On 5 November 2012 in Gdynia, Poland, Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection, the Polish Navy Academy together with Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Environmental Protection Agency, organized the International Workshop on Environmental Effects Related to Waste Originating from Chemical Munitions Dumped at Sea. Representatives of academia, research institutions, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector discussed environmental, safety and security challenges and effects posed by waste originating from sea-dumped chemical munitions in various parts of the world, as well as national and international responses to them. The workshop helped to advance efficient implementation of the UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/65/149.-V.

Poland has taken efforts to raise the issue of sea dumped chemical weapons on the forum of the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). During the Seventeenth Session of the Conference of the State-Parties to the CWC (28 November 2012, The Hague) Poland and Lithuania organized the side event “Sea-dumped chemical weapons – recent developments”. The main issues discussed at the side event were: sea-dumped chemical weapons – global problem and need for a joint and global response chemical munitions search and assessment programme (CHEMSEA) and its implementation implementation of the resolution A/RES/65/149. Side-event devoted to sea-dumped chemical weapons was also organised by Poland together with Lithuania, the International Dialogue on Underwater Munitions (IDUM) and the ISAB at the margin of the Third Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties to Review the Operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (The Hague, 8-19 April 2013). The aim of the side event was to promote exchange of experience and information related to problems caused by sea-dumped chemical weapons, as well as to encourage states to develop the OPCW as a venue for voluntary cooperation among the Governments, relevant industries, academia and NGO community, on this important subject.
At the Third CWC Review Conference Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Luxembourg presented joint working paper on broadening international cooperation on sea-dumped chemical weapons and promoting the OPCW as a forum for voluntary cooperation on that issue. It was proposed to take a more active stance by the OPCW as a venue for voluntary sharing of information, raising awareness and cooperation on sea dumped chemical weapons among the States Parties, academia, the industry and NGOs on that issue.
Following the proposal of Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Luxembourg the issue of the sea-dumped chemical weapons was reflected in the final Report of the Third CWC Review Conference (RC-3/3, dated 19 April 2013), para.9.147:"The Third Review Conference noted the United Nations General Assembly resolution “Cooperative measures to assess and increase awareness of environmental effects related to waste originating from chemical munitions dumped at sea“, adopted at its 65th session by consensus, and invited States Parties to support voluntary sharing of information, raising awareness and cooperation on this issue”. Adopted language is a major achievement since it opens, for the first time in the OPCW''s history, the possibility to cooperate on sea-dumped chemical weapons by supporting voluntary sharing of information, raising awareness and cooperation on this issue.

There is a need to:
- continue to promote a dialogue and broader engagement on this issue within international and regional forums and frameworks to discuss possible impact of sea-dumped chemical weapons,
- enhance involvement of states, the relevant international organizations (including OPCW, UNDP, UNEP, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, EU, NATO, OSCE, Council of Baltic States) and public and private partners to assess and increase awareness of WOCMDS. The international organizations should assist in addressing the risks identified by research activities and international exchanges with respect to sea-dumped chemical weapons, including risk of exposure to dumped chemical agents (e.g. fishing crews, washed ashore contents on beaches), risk of increased contamination of sea organisms, including teratogenic, carcinogenic as well as mutagenic potential of the multitude of agents,
- receive attention in international and national monitoring programmes and research studies. In order to obtain that, this topic should be explicitly mentioned in the clean water strategy on both international and country level,
- further integration of WOCMD research, administration and industry - both in terms of enhanced cooperation and knowledge exchange, but also support to capacity building programs,
- promote WOCMD topic at international political and scientific conferences and meetings.
- gather and publish novel complex data regarding sea-dumped chemical munitions in one easily accessible medium.
To foster the voluntary cooperation aimed at reducing the environmental impact of sea dumped chemical weapons and the negative economic consequences on human health and marine resources, in accordance with the United Nations General Assembly resolution “Cooperative measures to assess and increase awareness of environmental effects related to waste originating from chemical munitions dumped at sea”, Poland in cooperation with Lithuania and the IDUM, will organize side event at the margin of 73th Session of OPCW Executive Council (The Hague, 15 July 2013).