High Seas “Firecracker” Incident

On 27 February 2025, fireworks were set off on the high seas between Australia and New Zealand, with the “firecrackers” allegedly reaching 120 decibels (dB), which exceeds the hearing threshold for cetaceans, and with residues tested as containing a mixture of potassium nitrate and sulphur, and a change in pH exceeding the Global Ocean Acidification Monitoring Criteria (GOMAC) by 0.3 units, potentially triggering the “pollution of the marine environment” provisions of the London Dumping Convention (LDC). This may trigger the “pollution of the marine environment” provisions of the London Dumping Convention.