Basel Convention
The Basel
Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes
and their Disposal
was negotiated under the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in 1989
and entered into force on May 5, 1992. This multilateral environmental agreement
regulates the import and export of hazardous waste among the Parties to
it, and establishes legal obligations to ensure that such wastes are managed
in an environmentally sound manner.
- Parties to the Basel Convention must comply with basic notification
and consent procedures. In addition, before an export of Basel-regulated
hazardous waste can take place, the Parties to the movement must ensure
that the waste will be managed in an environmentally sound manner in
the country of import. To assist in these efforts, the Parties have
developed guidelines on environmentally sound management of certain
waste streams, waste treatment and waste management practices, along
with guidelines on monitoring and detecting illegal traffic in hazardous
waste.
- Currently, there are more than 169
parties
to the Convention. The United States signed the Basel Convention in
1990. The US Senate provided its advice and consent to ratification
in 1992, and the Administration is developing legislation with the necessary
statutory authority to implement the Convention's requirements in order
to complete the ratification process. Until that time, as a non-party
to the Convention, the US participates in the meetings of the Convention
parties, but is not allowed to vote.
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