Secretariat of the Basel Convention (SBC)

http://www.unep.ch/basel/index.html 

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was adopted in 1989 and entered into force on 5 May 1992. The Convention is the response of the international community to the problems caused by the annual world-wide production of 400 million tonnes of wastes which are hazardous to people or the environment because they are toxic, poisonous, explosive, corrosive, flammable, eco-toxic, or infectious. This global environmental treaty regulates the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and imposes obligations to its Parties to ensure that such wastes are managed and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. The main principles of the Basel Convention are:
1. Transboundary movements of hazardous wastes should be reduced to a minimum consistent with their environmentally sound management.
2. Hazardous wastes should be treated and disposed of as close as possible to their source of generation.
3. Hazardous waste generation should be reduced and minimized at source.

AGENDA 21 CHAPTERS AND PROGRAMME AREAS OF PARTICULAR FOCUS OR INTEREST:
See check list in annex.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF AND LINKS TO INFORMATION ACTIVITIES:

Data Collection, Observation, Monitoring

Methodologies, Quality Control, Harmonization
 

Assessment and Analysis
The Technical Working Group, a subsidiary body of the Conference of the Parties (COP) is mandated to prepare technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes and for disposal options. As instructed by the COP-3 in September 1995, the Technical Working Group is working on the hazard characterization and classification of wastes within the Basel Convention. More generally, it provides technical advice and guidance on the implementation of the Convention.

Indicators

Modelling

Expert Systems/Decision-support systems

Early Warning Mechanisms

Reports/Information dissemination

1998 Reports: Hazard Characterization and Classification of Wastes within the Framework of the Basel Convention; Consolidated lists of wastes and the applicable procedure for their review or adjustment; Wastes placed on list C awaiting Classification; Instruction Manual on the Control System for the Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Other Wastes

Network Development and Support

Capacity-Building

Internet Access

 http://www.unep.ch/basel/index.html

Responsible Office/Person (for inquiries or follow-up):
Ms Iwona Rummel-Bulska
 Executive Secretary
 Secretariat of the Basel Convention
 15 chemin des Anemones
 CH-1219 Chatelaine, Geneva
 Switzerland
 Tel: +41 22 917 8213
 Fax: +41 22 797 3454
 E-mail: sbc@unep.ch

Earthwatch Focal Point

Date of preparation: 6 April 1998

ORGANIZATION: Secretariat of the Basel Convention (SBC)