The federal government has moved to ban the dumping of dredge spoil in the Great Barrier Reef marine park as it lobbies to stop the reef being declared “in danger”.

The environment minister, Greg Hunt, has ordered the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to draft regulations to ban dredge spoil dumping in the area “once and for all”.

The move makes good on Hunt’s commitment to the Unesco World Heritage Committee, which has threatened to list the reef as in danger.

Environment groups say the dump ban in the marine park is an “important step” but ignores about 80% of dredge dumping in the rest of the reef’s world heritage area.

WWF Australia has called for a full ban on dumping within the heritage area.

“It it no longer acceptable to simply use the reef as a dump,” its chief, Dermot O’Gorman, said.

In 2013, the federal government approved the dumping of 3m tonnes of dredge waste within the marine park waters from the Abbot Point coal port.

Hunt is considering a revised plan to dump the spoil in the Caley valley wetlands.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society fears run-off will flow out to the reef and is calling on Hunt to reject the Caley valley plan.

Last year, the World Heritage Committee demanded Australia develop a long-term plan for the reef.

Hunt will travel to Europe next week to consult on the plan and outline progress in a bid to keep the reef off the “in danger” list.

“We have responded with rigour and passion to protect this icon,” he said.

Labor believes dumping should be banned in the entire heritage area and has pledged to do so if elected federally.