Bermuda's bid to dump asbestos at sea is on the verge of approval by an international convention on marine waste disposal, it was revealed yesterday.

The news came after Britain backed Bermuda's plea to get rid of tons of the deadly material by throwing it overboard from barges.

Environment Minister Pamela Gordon said a new draft of an international convention on sea dumping now recognises the problems faced by small island states like Bermuda.

And she told the House of Assembly yesterday: "The annex to the Protocol, which lists those items which may be disposed of at sea, also makes special provision for the sea disposal of bulky wastes by small island communities.'' The UK government, acting for Bermuda, made a submission at a special meeting of the contracting parties of an international treaty to prevent marine pollution -- the London Convention.

The UK submission said: "The danger from asbestos to human health arises from the inhalation of asbestos fibres.

"That risk does not exist if the material is safely disposed of at sea. Nor, according to scientific advice....would marine life or the food chain be put at risk.'' The UK submission added that sea disposal was identified as the best and safest option for the Island.

It added that Bermuda had deferred dumping at sea after a host of protests, which included the intervention of international environmental watchdogs Greenpeace and noted it had been suggested dumping at sea should be ruled out.

But the UK delegation argued: "If this option were taken away from Bermuda, the asbestos currently stored in containers would continue to present an unacceptable health risk to the people of Bermuda.

"This would not only leave Bermuda with difficulties over the current urgent need to dispose of asbestos, but would have far-reaching consequences for all small island states.'' Bermuda may be given approval to dump asbestos The submission also pointed out that Bermuda is small, has little open space and that excavating the limestone of the island for disposal is impractical.

It added that using disused quarries had been discussed, but said that had been rejected because of density of population in Bermuda and the risk of contamination of fresh water supplies from ground water and rain water.

And the UK team urged the drafters of the convention to take account of a 1994 UN Global Conference resolution that the interests and capacities of small island states should be taken into account when amending the London Convention.

Environment Minister Pamela Gordon, who submitted a report on the special meeting of the London Convention signatories in London earlier this month, said that the special meeting achieved its goal of adopting the 1996 protocol for the Convention.

She added: "The draft must now be prepared in all official languages of the Convention and the Secretariat expect to have it available for signature early in April 1997.''