The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (The Basel Convention)
The Basel Convention aims to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of hazardous waste. The Convention:
- provides a system for informing countries of the shipment of hazardous waste before the waste reaches their shores;
- encourages minimization of hazardous waste generation, and promotes environmentally sound waste management.
Hazardous materials that cannot be treated or disposed of locally must be shipped overseas for disposal in an environmentally acceptable manner. The Basel Convention ensures that hazardous waste is shipped only to countries that are Parties to the Convention and are capable of properly disposing of the waste. This reduces the adverse negative impacts on human health and the environment from these wastes.
The role of the EPD is to:
- Regulate the shipment of hazardous waste overseas for disposal in keeping with the requirements of the Convention, and
- raise awareness about the Basel Convention.
To learn more about the Basel Convention click here.