Decree No. 172 on the methods and technical standards for dredging operations in sites of national interest, pursuant to article 5-bis paragraph 6 of Act No. 84 of 28 January 1994.

This Decree was adopted pursuant to article 5-bis of Law No. 84 of 1994 which addresses the dredging of marine coastal areas within sites of national interest. The Law states that dredged materials may be disposed of in the same body of water as long as they: are similar to the sediment level of the site of origin; are suitable for the destination site; and pass the relevant ecotoxicity tests. They may also be re-used on land if pollutants contained therein do not exceed certain thresholds; or stored in coastal retaining tanks if they are non-hazardous. This Ministerial Decree allows for the concurrent application of various re-use procedures. Dredged materials will have different destinations depending on the concentration of pollutants found, while materials that fail to meet the minimum quality requirements will be managed as waste. These provisions further highlight the priorities during dredging operations of remediation sites of national interest, namely prevent or reduce as much as possible environmental impact, and have no effect on site remediation.