Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, 1989
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal is an international treaty that was adopted on March 22, 1989, and entered into force on May 5, 1992. The convention aims to minimize the generation of hazardous wastes and regulate their transboundary movements to ensure their environmentally sound management and disposal.
Key objectives of the Basel Convention include:
- Minimization of hazardous waste generation: The convention promotes the reduction of hazardous waste generation by encouraging the adoption of cleaner production techniques, waste reduction strategies, and the use of alternative substances.
- Control of transboundary movements: The Basel Convention establishes a control system for the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes, ensuring that such movements are conducted in an environmentally sound manner and with the prior informed consent of the receiving country.
- Environmentally sound management: The convention emphasizes the importance of environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes. It encourages parties to treat, dispose of, or recover hazardous wastes in an environmentally sound manner, taking into account the best available technology and the economic and social implications.
- Minimization of hazardous waste exports: The convention seeks to reduce the export of hazardous wastes from developed to developing countries by encouraging parties to minimize the generation of hazardous wastes and develop their own waste management capacities.
- Technical assistance and cooperation: The Basel Convention promotes international cooperation and provides technical assistance to parties, particularly developing countries, to enhance their capacity to manage hazardous wastes effectively.
Over time, the Basel Convention has been supplemented by various amendments and protocols, including the Ban Amendment, which prohibits the export of hazardous wastes from developed to developing countries for any reason. The convention has been ratified by over 190 countries, making it one of the most widely supported environmental treaties globally.
The Basel Convention plays a significant role in preventing the dumping of hazardous wastes in developing countries, promoting sustainable waste management practices, and protecting human health and the environment from the adverse effects of hazardous wastes.
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