The Director of the Basel and Stockholm Regional Centre for anglophone Africa, Taeolo Letsela, shares his thoughts ahead of the 2017 Triple COPs.

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Read our interview with Gabriela Medina to understand how regional efforts help implement the Basel and Stockholm conventions.

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Ask Kei Ohno all you need to know about chemicals proposed to be newly listed at this year’s Conference of the Parties

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Ask Susan Wingfield how the CLI helps countries capture the benefits of improved waste management

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Legal responses to illegal traffic found to have merit, but opinions diverge on their effectiveness.

 

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The Regional Fair Roundtable ‘Synergies through regional delivery’ examines barrier and opportunities to enhance delivery of services to parties at regional and national level.

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Sustainable business models key to waste reduction.

 

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The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mr. Sergey Eduardovich Tikhonov.

 

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Destroying large banks of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) together with persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

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The region has been host to a number of hazardous waste management and cleaner production projects sponsored by international and bilateral donors over the past decades. Nonetheless, the infrastructure for management of hazardous wastes - including legislation, administration and disposal - remains extremely patchy throughout the countries of the region. This would seem to argue strongly for a step-by-step approach that sets in place the basic information, as well as the legislative and administrative requirements before a comprehensive practical waste management strategy could be formulated.

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Sri Lanka ratified the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal in 1992 and had taken many steps to ensure implementation of its provisions.  As global economies and systems developed and expanded, new priorities have emerged.  At the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (COP6) Electrical and Electronic wastes (e-Wastes) was recognized as a priority issue requiring urgent attention.  The need for action was considered especially important to the Asia-Pacific region.  Over the past few years Sri Lanka has a significant growth in telecommunication penetration. Information and Communication Technology is especially promoted to bring about development of the economy. 

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The constituents of used lead acid batteries (ULAB), such as lead and sulfuric acid, may pose a threat to human health and the environment if managed improperly. The Regional Strategy for the Environmentally Sound Management of Used Lead Acid Batteries in Central America, Columbia, Venezuela and the Caribbean Island States was prepared under the auspices of the Basel Convention Partnership Initiative to assist developing countries in planning for and adopting policies, programs and measures to support a cooperative and coordinated approach to ensuring the environmentally sound management (ESM) of ULAB in the region. A regional approach is needed because the domestic ULAB recycling capacity of many countries in the region is inadequate (from an ESM perspective), insufficient, or lacking altogether. In addition, several countries (especially Small Island Developing States) do not generate sufficient quantities of ULAB to establish direct consignments with ULAB recyclers located in other countries.

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In view of the growing concerns of e-waste management across the globe, in particular the developing countries of Asia, the Secretariat of Basel Convention, under the project on Environmentally Sound Management of e-Waste in Asia Pacific, supported 10 Asian countries. India, a signatory to the Basel Convention, has initiated several programs on e-waste management. However, there is a need for rationalising the inventorisation process, increased awareness on e-waste management among stakeholders and analysis of possible partnership models to promote environmentally sound management (ESM) of e-waste.

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The project covered National analysis on HCWM including all relevant streams according to the existing classifications and handling methods. The existing legal framework, its gap analyses and present enforcement have been considered. In addition, highlights on the main national and local stakeholders including the HCW generators have been given in the report.

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The Basel Convention Regional Centre in Pretoria (BCRC) and the Swedish Chemicals Agency (KemI) plan a regional cooperation in Anglophone Africa to enhance chemicals management through the implementation of the Strategic Approach towards International Chemicals Management (SAICM), the Stockholm convention, the Rotterdam Convention and the Basel Convention.

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Project documents:  Project Identification Fiche (PIF) Consolidate report of inventories of PCBs in coutries in the regionReport of t...

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Basel Convention Regional Centre for South‐East Asia (BCRC‐SEA) in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Basel Convention (SBC) has developed this Technical Guidelines for Inventory of Electrical and Electronic Waste. This Technical Guidelines Development Project is funded by the Government of Japan through the Basel Convention Trust Fund.

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The objective of this Project is to perform preliminary inventory on electronic and electrical waste in Indonesia as the initial step for developing national inventory system on e-waste which is going to be a part of national inventory of hazardous waste in Indonesia. The result of this project is expected to support Indonesia in implementing environmentally sound management for electrical and electronic waste.

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The project consists of designing, implementing and disseminating a methodology applicable to various currents of hazardous wastes by means of a Pilot Project with three hazardous wastes streams applied in Brazil and with the participation of various stakeholders. This methodology will be adjusted and prepared under the form of guidelines to be disseminated in the region through the Coordinating, South American, Central American and Caribbean BCRC and the National Cleaner Production Centres-UNIDO.

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La mise en œuvre effective de la Convention de Bâle pour une gestion écologiquement rationnelle des déchets dangereux, passe par une bonne maîtrise de la quantité et du type de déchets produits. Les pays africains francophones, à l’instar de nombreux pays en voie de développement ou à économie en transition, connaissent de nombreux problèmes environnementaux liés à la gestion des déchets.La gestion écologiquement rationnelle des déchets banals et des déchets dangereux en particulier, reste souvent un concept difficilement applicable du fait de la non maîtrise de leurs productions. En effet, il n’existe pratiquement aucun système de suivi de la production de déchets industriels par les producteurs et les autorités compétentes. Les quantités de déchets dangereux produites semblent croissantes avec pour corollaire des menaces réelles sur la santé humaine et environnementale.

Pour pallier cet état des lieux et permettre aux pays d’asseoir des bases claires pour la prise de décision stratégique en ce qui concerne la gestion des déchets dangereux, le Centre Régional de la Convention de Bâle pour les Pays Africains Francophones avait inclus dans son programme de travail la réalisation des inventaires nationaux des déchets dangereux dans trois pays.

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New Partnership with Local Authorities for the Environmentally Sound Management of Hazardous and other Wastes in the Context of the Basel Convention in South America

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The project, complemented by later additional activities following this Background Analysis, should ultimately result in an integrated lubricating oil...

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El proyecto se enfoca en catalizar las acciones desarrolladas dentro de los Convenios de Estocolmo, Basilea y Rotterdam, fortaleciendo las capacidades nacionales para el manejo ambientalmente adecuado de los bifenilos policlorados (PCBs) y equipos que los contengan. Para esto, se desarrolla inventarios nacionales armonizados y planes de acción nacionales, incluyendo la revisión de la legislación aplicable y el fortalecimiento de las capacidades de las Aduanas.

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The Cairo-BCRC as the implementing agent of the project “Preparation of a set of tools for the selection, design and operation of hazardous waste landfills in hyper-dry areas” funded under the Strategic Plan of the Basel Convention with the financial and technical support from the Secretariat of the Basel Convention; has the honor to release as an output of the project, a set of three guidelines entitled: 

• Guidelines for hazardous waste landfill site selection and EIA in hyper-dry areas. 
• Guidelines for hazardous waste landfill site design in hyper-dry areas, and 
• Guidelines for hazardous waste landfill site operation, monitoring and aftercare in hyper-dry areas.

 

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Components of the pilot project included a Pilot Study on Used Oils In Nigeria, the Preparation of a National Plan for Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of Used Oils in Nigeria, the Organization of two Technical Workshops On Management Practices For Used Oils, a Feasibility Study, and the Establishment of a Template for Regional Used Oils. Partnership for Africa, and the development of a Regional Action Plan for the Management of Used Oils in Africa.

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E-waste is a growing concern in South America. Since 2000, the use of personal computers in the region grows around 15% a year. Furthermore, ITU figures show Brazil and Argentina to be among the 25 countries with the most personal computers in the world. A better assessment of the production of e-waste in the region is key to assisting national authorities to respond to this emerging issue through the development of new environmental regulations, the building of partnerships with industry and the consideration of policies on life-cycle approach, integrated waste management and cooperation and sharing of information at the regional level.

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In last a few years, the environmentally unsound way of E-waste was clearly identified in the certain cities in the Asian countries that E-waste was imported as second-hand products into the cities, dismantled under the environmentally unsound way and caused the serious adverse effects to human health and the environment. The residents in the cities are not aware that the existing manual methods to dismantle E-waste is caused the adverse effects to themselves, despite the fact that the governmental or municipal authorities have barely undertaken some measures, e.g. the preparation of the regulations.

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El objetivo del proyecto es la capacitación de técnicos municipales en la gestión ambientalmente adecuada de desechos peligrosos, atendiendo las necesidades de estos actores locales y fortaleciendo la articulación con la Autoridades Competentes en el cumplimiento de los objetivos del Convenio de Basilea. Más allá de las responsabilidades específicas que las legislaciones nacionales les asignan a los diferentes actores, los municipios tienen un importante rol en la gestión de los residuos peligrosos por estar integrados al territorio donde se generan, almacenan, transportan y eventualmente se reciclan, tratan y disponen dichos residuos.

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The main goal of the project was to assist to the three Balkan countries in implementation of Basel Convention and relevant obligations into national legislation. All three countries are served by BCRC Bratislava and they are Parties to the Basel Convention (Bulgaria from 1996, the FYR Macedonia from 1997 and Republic of Serbia and Montenegro from the 2000). In spite of that, the hazardous waste management legislation was developed on different levels. In addition, the legislation often was not in compliance with the Basel Convention requirements.

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The main objective of the Review of existing national and international legislation in the field of control of transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and its environmentally sound management is to ascertain to what extent the legislation in this field is developed in the CIS countries in the frameworks of the Basel Convention.

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ULAB include starting or “automotive” batteries, and deep discharge or “industrial” batteries (used for stationary and motive applications).  The constituents of used lead acid batteries (ULAB), such as lead and sulphuric acid, may pose a threat to human health and the environment if managed improperly. 

In the Group of Latin America and Caribbean (GRULAC) there have been several documented cases in which ULAB has not been managed in an environmentally sound manner and has led to a number of adverse impacts, including lead poisoning and lead contaminated sites in some vulnerable communities.  Consequently the mismanagement of ULAB may have long-term implications, not only for a country’s environmental health, but also for its economic and social growth and development.  Within the GRULAC, a number of countries, particularly the Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS), have resource constraints and challenges associated with the environmentally sound management (ESM) of ULAB.

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This guide aims at providing the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with useful practices of Hazardous waste management(HWM). Indeed, this guide allows the user to explore his/her company and to identify its weaknesses in order to take adequate corrective measures. Moreover, the guide is adapted to local needs by adopting a systematic methodology designed according to the available local rules and regulations.  The steps described in the methodology section can be followed in a systematic way throughout the guide to reach to a full understanding of the hazardous materials (HM) and hazardous waste (HW) status, and to develop and implement an appropriate action plan for managing the hazardous materials and hazardous waste.

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La réalisation de cette étude pilote au Sénégal permet de proposer un programme d’échantillonnage pour adapter le toolkit aux pays d’Afrique sub saharienne et de poser les jalons de sa réplication dans les autres pays polarisés par le Centre afin de documenter les pratiques endogènes sur les déchets de Bâle susceptibles de générer des dioxines et furannes et d’élaborer les outils de contrôle de ces émissions.

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The Secretariat of the Basel Convention approved a grant for Nigeria to carry out a Pilot Project on the Assessment and Recycling of Used Oils in Africa. Components of the pilot project included the Preparation of a National Plan for Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of Used Oils in Nigeria, the organization of two Technical Workshops on Management Practices for Used Oils, the Establishment of a Template for Regional Used Oils Partnership for Africa, and the Development of a Regional Action Plan for the Management of Used Oils in Africa.

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Las existencias de plaguicidas obsoletos, constituyen un riesgo para la salud y el ambiente, dado que son un residuo constituido por sustancias químicas peligrosas. Además, en su calidad de residuo sin valor económico, en general se acumulan en condiciones inadecuadas en sitios no controlados. Por consiguiente, el riesgo se incrementa, porque existe exposición a los desechos debido al libre acceso de personas y animales al sitio; y por el deterioro de envases, vertido de los productos, y contaminación del sitio y su entorno.

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At the third meeting of the Expert Group on best available techniques (BAT) and best environmental practices (BEP) in Tokyo in October 2004, UNEP Chemicals foreshadowed a series of regional consultations on the draft guidance to assist countries prepare for the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Stockholm Convention (COP-1) to be held in May of 2005. It was considered that successful COP consideration, and subsequent use of the guidelines, would depend on participants’ understanding of the issues. It was important also that the guidance be representative of all regions.

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In the Kingdom of Cambodia, used lead acid batteries (ULAB) are not normally managed in an environmentally sound manner and there is no specific government institution responsible for ULAB management. Detailed legislation specifically targeting the management of ULAB does not exist, except for some related statutory instruments such as the Law on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Management; the Sub-Decree on Water Pollution Control; and the Sub -Decree on Solid Waste Management. Unsound ULAB management has caused concern for the environment and population health in Cambodia and there is an urgent need to improve the management mechanisms based on sound environmental practices, otherwise, harmful and irreparable consequences will occur in the future.

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Municipality Project aimed to develop a new partnership for local hazardous waste mechanisms on the environmentally sound management, namely Type II Agreement (public-private partnership) between all stakeholders on hazardous waste management. BCRC China especially targeted to develop Type II Agreement in Qingdao, P.R.China, which is one of the industrial and organizational cities in China. Qingdao faces various environmental issues, e.g. hazardous waste management, wastewater treatment, etc. BCRC China has assisted Qingdao to establish Type II Agreement for hazardous waste
management and E-waste management. This approach was one of the first instances to have established Type II Agreement in Asia and the Pacific region and good instance to undertake hazardous waste management by a public-private partnership.

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The present publication aims to provide a practical guideline on the environmentally sound management of obsolete pesticides within the Latin America and Caribbean countries, and takes into consideration related aspects such as identification and stockpiles management, their handling as hazardous wastes, treatment alternatives, exportation, generation prevention and the obligations laid down by the international conventions of Basel, Stockholm and Rotterdam.

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