Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and its Disposal Prof. Diann Suarez POLIECO +Outline
I. Historical background: What are the
events that led to the creation of the Basel Convention? II. What is the Basel Convention? III. What is hazardous waste? What wastes are covered in the Basel Convention IV. Who are the parties and non-parties to the Basel Convention? V. Basel Convention Restrictions VI. Basel Convention Compliance Monitoring VII. Conclusion +Historical background: What are the events that led to the creation of the Basel Convention? (1) Tightening of environmental regulations in developed and developing nations, wherein the disposal cost of hazardous waste dramatically rose in the 1970s
(2) Transboundary movement of waste became
more accessible because disposal costs in developing countries were low, there were few regulations, and lack of standards
(3) “Toxic Colonialism”
(4) No legal framework yet to control
international dumping of waste +Historical background: What are the events that led to the creation of the Basel Convention?
This ship carrying 14,000 tons of incinerator ash from
the Philadelphia, United States, which contained high levels of lead and cadmium, dumped half of its load on a beach in Haiti before being forced away. It sailed for many months, changing its name several times, and unable to unload its cargo in any port, was believed to have dumped much of it at sea between + + + +What is the Basel Convention? International treaty designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations, specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries (LDCs).
Intended to minimize the amount and toxicity
of wastes generated, to ensure its environmentally sound management is as close as possible to the source of generation
Created to assist LDCs in the environmentally
sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate. +What is the Basel Convention? Theconvention was opened for signature on 22 march 1989
It was entered into force on 5 May
1992 Affiliatedinstruments: Basel Ban (1995)
- Export of hazardous waste is banned even for
recycling, inclusion of radioactive waste as banned toxic waste – not ratified Liability Protocol (1995) Environmentally Sound Management (1999) – continued export of wastes should not result + +Additional info on hazardous waste dumping +What is Hazardous Waste? If it is within the category of wastes listed in Annex I; and exhibits one of the characteristics of hazardous wastes in Annex III As covered by the Basel Convention Toxicity, Corrosivity Ignitability (Explosive, Flammable) Reactivity Eco-toxicity Clinical, mining, industrial, and agricultural wastes End of life equipments and commodities (asbestos, PCB equipment, stockpiles, batteries, e-wastes) Ships Household wastes and residue that comes from incinerating household waste
Also, If the waste is defined as hazardous in the
exporting or importing country, or in any of the +