Nelson Varghese

Group 8 Christo Francis

Vishnu Ajoy
Anishya Carmel Paul
Jinnu Mathew
Riya George
 HISTORY
 A global legal instrument on “the control of trans boundary
movements of hazardous wastes and on their disposal”
usually known as the Basel Convention, is an
international treaty that was designed to reduce the
movements of hazardous waste between nations, and
specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste
from Developed to Less Developed Countries (LDCs).
 Environmental regulations have tightened in developing
nations, so the disposal cost of hazardous waste has rose up
in 1970.
 Toxic colonialism.
 No legal framework to control dumping of waste.
 These practices are more distinct ; international outrage led to
the drafting and adoption of BASEL CONVENTION.
 ABOUT
 Location : Basel, Switzerland
 Adopted in 22 march 1989
 Entered into force in 5 may 1992
 Status of participation (2018):187
 Affiliated Instruments:
Basel Ban(1995)
Liability Protocol(1995)
Environmentally Sound Management
 October 2018 :- 186 states and the European Union are parties
to the Convention. Haiti and the United States have signed the
Convention but not ratified it
 Type : United Nation Treaty
OVERALL GOAL
 To protect human health and the environmental against the
adverse effects resulting from the generation and management
of hazardous wastes and other wastes.

FURTHER OBJECTIVES

 Reduction of trans boundary movements of hazardous wastes

 Minimize generation-quantity & degree of hazard
 Promote environmental management of hazardous wastes
Waste Covered by Basel Convention

 Toxicity  Clinical Wastes

 Corrosivity  Mining wastes
 Ignitability  Industrial wastes
 Reactivity  Agricultural wastes
 Eco-toxicity  End of life equipments and
commodities
 (asbestos,PCB
equipment,batteries,e-
wastes,ships,etc)
 Basel Restriction
 The export of waste occur only under the following circumstances
 If the exporting country does not have sufficient disposal capacity
 If the exporting country does not have disposal sites that can dispose of
the waste in an environmentally sound manner
 If the wastes are required as raw material for recycling or recovery
industries in the importing country.
 Basel also prohibits movement of waste between parties to the
convention and non parties except when these movements occur under
an equivalent bilateral or multilateral agreement.
Basel Convention and INDIA
 India- leading destination of hazardous waste untill supreme
court in may 1997 imposed a ban on all waste imports.
 According to environmental activists,lead ash, battery cell
scrap, asbestos & polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were
dumped at Indian ports.
 Alang in Gujarat - world's largest ship-breaking yard is a
heaven for toxic ships.These ships contained waste from
production, inks , paints, mercury compounds, flourescent light
fittings, lead acid batteries, fire retardant etc
 In 2007 Supreme court empowered the govt. to send back any
contaminated ship that comes to india for breaking at Alang.
 India has already ratified basel convention to control
transboundary movements of hazardous wastes & their
disposals & its companion treaties like Rotterdam conventions.
 IMPLEMENTATION
The Technical Working Group of the Basel Convention work together to
form Technical guidelines .
(a) Preamble
(b) A preamble describing the waste and industry that generates the
waste;
(c) A description of environmental hazards;
(d) The identification of opportunities for waste avoidance;
(e) The identification of opportunities for recovery;
(f) A description of treatment and disposal technologies;
(g) A comment on the economic aspects of suitable waste
management options;
(h) A description of criteria for the sound operation of technology
and related safety aspects
(i) A glossary of terms.
 SOLUTIONS
 Global initiative to promote the protection of human health and
livelihood through the environmentally sound management of
hazardous wastes worldwide.
 The Basel Waste Solutions Circle is composed of members who
contribute to the implementation of the Basel Convention.
 Provides a platform to showcase successful activities and thereby
gaining recognition or support.
 Membership to the Circle is open to Governments, public interest
and civil society groups at all levels, professional organizations,
industrial organizations, academic institutions and individuals that
implement an activity recognized under the circle.
 CONCLUSION
 The Basel Convention helps to minimize the amount
and toxicity of wastes generated, to ensure their
environmentally sound management as closely as
possible to the source of generation.
 Assist LDCs in the environmentally sound management
of hazardous wastes and other wastes.
 Transboundary movements of hazardous waste are
further reduced and illegal trafficking of waste is
prevented.
 Partnership for the effective implementation of the
convention is strengthened at the global, national and
local level.
 Global membership of the convention is achieved.