Notice of Application of Emergency Provision Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978
The Office of Polar Programs, U.S. National Science Foundation, is giving notice that an emergency relating to considerations of human health and safety caused, and will result ...
Notice of hazardous waste to be stored at McMurdo Station, Antarctica for more than 15 months due to an emergency, consistent with 45 CFR 671.17.
SUMMARY:
The Office of Polar Programs, U.S. National Science Foundation, is giving notice that an emergency relating to considerations of human health and safety caused, and will result in, hazardous waste to be stored at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, for more than 15 months.
Hazardous waste in the form of lithium batteries and fluorescent lights, with an aggregate net weight of approximately 2639 lbs., was, consistent with waste management best practices, segregated, packaged, and stored in a secure location for removal from the station.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The waste was scheduled to be removed in February 2026, at the end of the 2025-2026 season. In early February 2026, it was discovered that the contracted cargo vessel could not safely transport hazardous lithium-ion battery waste, making the removal of the entire hazardous waste container impossible. The removal of the hazardous waste is a priority for the January 2027 annual cargo vessel visit to McMurdo Station.
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91 FR 44878
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“Notice of Application of Emergency Provision Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978,” thefederalregister.org (July 17, 2026), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2026-14448/notice-of-application-of-emergency-provision-under-the-antarctic-conservation-act-of-1978.