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TRP Chapter 3.2 1
Chapter 3.2 Transboundary movement control
TRP Chapter 3.2 2
The problem
• Movements of waste from industrialised to industrialising countries of hazardous wastes for ‘treatment’ or ‘disposal’
• Hazardous waste disposal costs in industrialised countries were high, regulations becoming stricter
• Disposal costs in developing economies were low, few regulations, low standards
• No legal framework to control ‘dumping’
TRP Chapter 3.2 3
The solution
1987 - Preliminary guidelines (the Cairo Guidelines) for the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes were adopted by UNEP
1989 - Adoption of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal
1992 - Entry into force of the Basel Convention
TRP Chapter 3.2 4
Objectives of the Basel Convention
To protect human health and the environment against adverse effects of hazardous wastes
• Reduction of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes
• Minimisation of generation - quantity and degree of hazard
• Promotion of environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes
TRP Chapter 3.2 5
Definition
Under the Basel Convention, hazardous wastes are:
• Wastes that belong to any category listed in Annex I unless they do not possess any of the characteristics contained in Annex III Art. 1 (1) (a)
• Wastes that belong to any category listed in Annex II re other wastes, Art. 1 (2)
• Wastes defined as hazardous by national legislation Art. 1 (1) (b)
Annex VIII (and IX) further defines which wastes are (not) considered hazardous under the Convention
TRP Chapter 3.2 6
Main elements of the Convention
• Control regime for the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes
• Environmentally Sound Management of hazardous wastes
TRP Chapter 3.2 7
Control regime for transboundary movement of hazardous waste 1
. Responsibility to notify
. Prior written consent procedure
. Re-import obligations• Prohibitions and restrictions
. Definition and control of illegal traffic
. Documentation and notification• Contract between exporter and disposer
. Insurance/financial guarantees
. International transport regulations
. Environmentally sound management of wastes
TRP Chapter 3.2 8
Control regime for transboundary movements of hazardous waste 2
Prohibitions and restrictions
. No movements to non-Parties (unless Art. 11)
. No export to States with import prohibition
. No export to States without systems of environmentally sound management
. No export for disposal to the area of 60o South latitude (ie Antarctica)
TRP Chapter 3.2 9
Environmentally Sound Management of hazardous wastes
Requires that all practicable steps are taken to ensure that hazardous wastes or other wastes are managed in a manner which will protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects which may result from such wastes (Art. 2)
Technical guidelines for environmentally sound management of specific hazardous wastes are available
TRP Chapter 3.2 10
Guiding principles
• Self-sufficiency Principle
• Proximity Principle
• Least Transboundary Movement Principle
• Polluter Pays Principle
• Principle of Sovereignty
TRP Chapter 3.2 11
Illegal traffic 1
Transboundary movements are illegal under the Convention (Article 9), when:
• no notification is made to all States concerned
• no consent of a State concerned is given• consent is obtained through falsification,
misrepresentation or fraud• details of movement do not conform with the
documents• disposal is in contravention of Convention
and international law
TRP Chapter 3.2 12
Illegal traffic 2
States which are Party to the Convention should:
• Incorporate sanctions and penalties in their legal
system
• Build up enforcement capacities
• Promote inter-ministerial co-ordination
• Promote consistency in addressing illegal traffic
• Bring confirmed and alleged cases to the
attention of the secretariat to take appropriate
action
Draft guidance is available on various topics
TRP Chapter 3.2 13
Protocol on liability and compensation 1
• Objective: to provide for a comprehensive regime for liability as well as adequate and prompt compensation for damage resulting from the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes
• Assigns responsibilities to all the actors taking part in a transboundary movement, with the obligation to compensate
TRP Chapter 3.2 14
Protocol on liability and compensation 2
The scope:
Covers each phase of a transboundary movement, including:
• the point where the wastes are loaded onto the means of transport
• the international transit• the final destination• the final disposal
TRP Chapter 3.2 15
Protocol on liability and compensation 3
What kind of damage is covered by the Protocol?
- loss of life or personal injury- loss of or damage to property- loss of income directly deriving from an
economic interest deriving from the use of the environment
- costs of reinstatement of the environment- costs of preventive measures
TRP Chapter 3.2 16
Protocol on liability and compensation 4
Who is liable?
Strict liability (Article 4):The notifier is liable until the disposer takes possession of the HW
Thereafter, the disposer shall be liable for damage
Fault-based liability (Article 5): any person shall be liable for damage caused by lack of compliance and reckless or negligent acts
TRP Chapter 3.2 17
The Ban amendment
Decision III/1:• ban on movement of wastes for disposal from
Annex VII countries to non-Annex VII countries
• ban on movement of wastes for recovery and recycling from Annex VII countries to non- Annex VII countries
(Annex VII = OECD, EC and Liechtenstein)
TRP Chapter 3.2 18
The Annex VII debate
In principle, definition based on ability to ensure environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes
In practice, definition based on membership of OECD or EU (which does not reflect environmentally sound management capability) and excludes non-member countries with environmentally sound management capability
TRP Chapter 3.2 19
Financial mechanism
Technical Co-operation Trust Fund• to assist in implementation of the Basel Convention• receives in kind contributions: finance, expertise,
equipment
Enlargement of scope of Trust Fund proposed:• to cover costs of victims of pollution • spread financial burden among polluters• assist states in case of accidents • to provide an interim fund eg for emergency
assistance• Part I: Emergency assistance so far approved and
operational
TRP Chapter 3.2 20
Assistance to States
•Technical guidelines
•Model national legislation
•Waste characterisation
•Manual to assist implementation
For the future:
•Criteria for environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes
• Improvement of existing technologies
•Development of new technologies
•Raising public awareness
•Regional Centres
•Training and seminars
TRP Chapter 3.2 21
Strategic Action Plan
• Strategic Action Plan for the next decade (to 2010)• The ability of each Party to implement the Basel
Convention is enhanced• The environmentally sound management of hazardous
wastes and other wastes is accessible to all Parties• Transboundary Movements of hazardous wastes are
further reduced and illegal traffic is prevented• Partnership for the effective implementation of the
Convention is strengthened at the global, national and local level
• Awareness and understanding of the Convention is increased amongst all sectors of society
• Global membership of the Convention is achieved
TRP Chapter 3.2 22
Chapter 3.2 Summary
In the 1980s the international community recognised the need to control transboundary movements, in particular those from industrialised countries to developing economies which were causing harm to health and the environment
Since then, efforts have been made to raise standards relating both to transboundary movements and to the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes by international initiatives
Parties to the Basel Convention introduce rules into national legislation, enabling the necessary controls