Croatia
Input to Questionnaire on issues relating to the environmental effected related to waste originating from chemical munitions dumped at sea
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Croatia
Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection
Reply on the Questionnaire on issues relating to the environmental effects related to
waste originating from chemical munitions dumped at sea
Situation
1. Is there an environmental risk for your country/region to be affected by waste
originating from chemical munitions dumped at sea (WOCMDS)? If so, what are
the environmental challenges and effects posed by WOCMDS?
According to the initiative of the CP of Barcelona Convention at their 13 COP
(Portorož, November 2005) UNEP/MAP MED POL in cooperation with CP collected
available country data on the dumping sites of ammunitions in the Mediterranean Sea
based on which Report on the Ammunitions Dumping Sites into the Mediterranean
Sea was prepared in 2009 (UNEP(DEPI)/MED WG. 338/2). Croatia participated in the
initiative by providing available data and locations of dumped ammunitions and filling
out the corresponding questionnaire. We consider the mentioned Report as relevant
document that reflect the state of environmental risk posed by the WOCMDS in the
Mediterranean Sea including Adriatic Sea as well.
Beside former Yugoslav navy training grounds on the sea, there were incidents on
dumping of ammunitions in the North Adriatic Sea by NATO during NATO campaign
in Kosovo in 1999. Campaign included air strikes aimed at the targets in Former
Serbian Republic of Yugoslavia and aircraft landings at the Aviano airbase. During the
missions NATO aircrafts released the monition (bombs) used in air strikes for the
purpose of safe landing. Data on locations of released ammunition are not available.
2. Does the scientific community in your country/region examine the environmental
effects related to WOCMDS? If so, what are the funding of such scientific
researches?
On the regional level (Mediterranean Sea region) activities conducted in the
framework of UNEP/MAP has been concentrated mostly on the mapping the officially
recorded ammunitions dumping sites. To our knowledge, Italian research institute
ICRAM was engaged in the European Commission co-funded project „RED COD“
aimed to assess effects and risks toward the benthic ecosystems caused by leaking of
persistent pollutants from dumped ammunitions in the Southern Adriatic Sea. In
Croatia, Ministry of Defence is the responsible ministry holding the data on dumped
ammunition sites in the area under sovereignty and jurisdiction of the Republic of
Croatia. As an administrative unit of the Ministry of Defence there is the Institute for
Research and Development of Defence System which is envisioned as a place where
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the needs of national defence and security meet the scientific and technological
potentials of the Republic of Croatia. The Institute had conducted some projects
related to sea dumped ammunition. The projects were related to environmental
security in military ports
(http://iros.morh.hr/en/science/projects/environmental_security_of_military_ports )
and underwater detection and mapping of threat materials
(http://iros.morh.hr/en/science/projects/underwater_detection ).
Response to incidents
3. Does your country/region have the experience in responding to incidents related
to WOCMDS?
Most common experience regarding dumped ammunitions is mostly related to the
deactivation and disposal of old underwater mines. For other related experiences we
have no information.
4. Does your country/region have the capacity to respond to incidents related to
WOCMDS?
Existing capacity that could respond to incidents related to WOCMDS are represented
in existing institutional, technical and human capacities set under the national
Contingency Plan for Accidental Marine Pollution (OG 92/08). Although the NCP
does not defined the dumped ammunition as type of risk and threats that can result in
marine pollution, NCP should be implemented also in case of marine pollution caused
by hazardous and noxious substances. Nevertheless additional training as well as
technical capacities should be built in order for proper reply to incidents of that kind.
5. Has your government/organization developed an action plan or built capacities to
respond to incidents related to WOCMDS? If not, does your
government/organization intend to do so in the future?
According to the knowledge of the Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection
there is no such action plan prepared. Concerning the delicacy of the subject matter,
despite of the so far raised discussions on that issue, political decision seems necessary
to launch specific activities.
Raising awareness and other actions
6. Does your government/organization provide information on WOCMDS to civil
society and industry? Does your government/organization raise awareness on
WOCMDS and how?
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Available information on existing disposal sites charted on the maps of Former
Republic of Yugoslavia are published by Croatian Hydrography Institute on the
nautical maps (all sizes). There are no data regarding type and amount of disposed
material. Still to assume is that there are uncharted locations of dumped ammunitions
in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea. There are no specific activities related to
raising awareness related to WOCMDS.
7. Are there any partnership between government, industry and civil society in your
country/region on raising awareness, reporting and monitoring of WOCMDS?
Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection is not aware of any mentioned
partnership on the national level.
Cooperation
8. Does your government cooperate with other States, regional and/or international
organizations to assess or increase awareness of WOCMDS?
As already reply (on the first question) Croatia as a CP of the Barcelona Convention
cooperates in initiatives undertaken related to this issue.
9. What would be, in your view, possible modalities for international cooperation to
assess and increase awareness of WOCMDS?
International cooperation specially through regional seas conventions should be
strengthen in a way to assess the impact of WOCMDS, define the goals and
monitoring activities as well as measures to reduce/eliminate the negative effects of
WOCMDS on marine environment including humans.
