Twelfth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention (OEWG-12)

Note by the Secretariat

I. Introduction

1. The present scenario note is intended to assist representatives in preparing for the twelfth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, which will be held by electronic means as an exceptional measure in the light of the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, as agreed by the Bureau of the Open-ended Working Group at its meeting on 9 April 2020.

Note by the Secretariat

A tentative schedule for the twelfth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, which will be held by electronic means, is set out in the annex to the present note. It has been consulted with the Bureau of the Open-ended Working Group and will be adjusted as work progresses. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on the strategic framework (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/2), the annex to the present note sets out the draft report on the final evaluation of the strategic framework for the implementation of the Basel Convention for 2012–2021 prepared by the Secretariat in consultation with the small intersessional working group on the strategic framework. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on development of guidelines for environmentally sound management (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/3), the annex to the present note sets out the revised draft practical manual for stakeholders to ensure that notifications of transboundary movements meet environmentally sound management requirements prepared by the Secretariat taking into account the comments received from Parties and others. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/4), the annex to the present note sets out a compilation of comments received from Parties and observers on low persistent organic pollutant content values included in the technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants. Comments were submitted, pursuant to paragraph 7 of decision BC-14/4, by Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Myanmar, Switzerland and Thailand. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

1. As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/4), the small intersessional working group on persistent organic pollutant wastes updated the general technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of wastes containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants adopted by decision BC-14/4, as set out in the annex to the present note.

Note by the Secretariat

1. As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/4), the small intersessional working group on persistent organic pollutant wastes updated the technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF), which was adopted by decision BC-12/3, to include perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds, taking into account decisions SC-9/4 and SC-9/5, as set out in the annex to the present note.

Note by the Secretariat

1. As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/4), the small intersessional working group on persistent organic pollutant wastes updated the technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with the pesticides aldrin, alpha hexachlorocyclohexane, beta hexachlorocyclohexane, chlordane, chlordecone, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, hexachlorobutadiene, lindane, mirex, pentachlorobenzene, pentachlorophenol and its salts, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, technical endosulfan and its related isomers or toxaphene or with hexachlorobenzene as an industrial chemical, which was adopted by decision BC-13/4, to include dicofol, taking into account decision SC-9/11, as set out in the annex to the present note.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on Cooperation with the World Customs Organization on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/13), annex I to the present note sets out the progress in the work of the World Customs Organization on the Harmonized System related to the Basel Convention; annex II sets out the proposal for amendment to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System with respect to waste oils containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at a specific concentration level, which has been submitted to the World Customs Organization by the Secretariat; and annex III sets out a draft proposal on amendments to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding system with respect to plastic waste, taking into consideration the amendments to annexes to the Basel Convention adopted by decision BC-14/12. The present note, including its annexes, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

1. As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/4), the small intersessional working group on specially engineered landfill and incineration on land, updated the technical guidelines on incineration on land, taking into account comments received from Parties and others, pursuant to paragraph 10 of decision BC-14/6, and extended the scope of the technical guidelines to also address incineration as covered by the operation “use as fuel” (other than in direct incineration) or other means to generate energy” (R1), as set out in the annex to the present note.

Note by the Secretariat

1. As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/4), the small intersessional working group on specially engineered landfill and incineration on land, updated the technical guidelines on specially engineered landfill (D5), taking into account comments received from Parties and others, pursuant to paragraph 10 of decision BC-14/6, as set out in the annex to the present note.

Note by the Secretariat

1. As mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/4), the small intersessional working group established in accordance with decision BC-14/8, updated the technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with mercury or mercury compounds, adopted by decision BC-12/4, as set out in the annex to the present note.

Note by the Secretariat

1. As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/4), the small intersessional working group on plastics wastes updated the technical guidelines on the identification and environmentally sound management of plastic wastes and for their disposal adopted by decision VI/21, as set out in the annex to the present note.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on draft practical guidance for the development of inventories of priority waste streams (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/5), the annex to the present note sets out a preliminary draft practical guidance on the development of an inventory of plastic waste. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on draft practical guidance for the development of inventories of priority waste streams (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/5), the annex to the present note sets out a preliminary draft practical guidance on the development of an inventory of obsolete pesticides and pesticide-container waste. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on draft practical guidance for the development of inventories of priority waste streams (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/5), the annex to the present note sets out a preliminary draft practical guidance on the development of an inventory of waste batteries containing lithium. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on electronic approaches to the notification and movement documents (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/6), the annex to the present note sets out a report prepared by the Secretariat on experiences, at the national and international levels, in developing and implementing electronic systems for exchanging information on or controlling the movements of goods and wastes, and lessons learned from such experience. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on national legislation, notifications, enforcement of the Convention and efforts to combat illegal traffic: common interpretation of the meaning of “State of transit” (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/11), the annex to the present note sets out a summary of the information submitted by Parties to the Basel Convention in response to question 3h(i) of the annual national reports on a definition of “State of transit” in national legislation and question 3h(ii) on a definition of State of transit” included otherwise than in national legislation for the period from 2016 to 2018. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

1. In paragraph 34 of decision BC-14/13, the Conference of the Parties decided to include, among other activities pertaining to plastic waste, in the work programme of the Open-ended Working Group for 2020–2021, the consideration of the following:

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on plastic waste (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/7), information on the outcome of the first, second and third meetings of the ad hoc open-ended expert group on marine litter and microplastics and the resolutions adopted at the first, second, third and fourth sessions of the United Nations Environment Assembly related to marine plastic litter and microplastics is available via the following links:

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on waste containing nanomaterials (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/8), the annex to the present note contains a compilation of information submitted by Parties and others related to activities aimed at addressing issues related to waste containing nanomaterials, including case studies about and best practices relating to the management of waste containing nanomaterials. Reports and studies referred to in the submissions by Switzerland and UNITAR, that are publicly available, have also been made available on the website of the Convention. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on consultation with the Committee Administering the Mechanism for Promoting Implementation and Compliance of the Basel Convention (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/9), the annex to the present note sets out revised draft guidance on the implementation of paragraph 4 of Article 6 of the Convention on transit transboundary movements. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on consultation with the Committee Administering the Mechanism for Promoting Implementation and Compliance of the Basel Convention (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/9), the annex to the present note sets out revised draft guidance to improve the implementation of paragraph 11 of Article 6 of the Convention on insurance, bond and guarantee. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on providing further legal clarity (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/10), the annex to the present note sets out the recommendations for possible amendment proposals to Annex IV and to entries A1180 and B1110 in Annexes VIII and IX to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal and the findings on the consequential implications of the review of Annex IV to the Convention developed by the expert working group on the review of Annexes. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on providing further legal clarity (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/10), the annex to the present note sets out a note by the co-chairs of the expert working group on the review of Annexes to support the Open-ended Working Group in providing the expert working group with directions on the way forward. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on providing further legal clarity (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/10), the annex to the present note sets out the comments from Parties and observers received on recommendations for possible amendment proposals to Annex IV and to entries A1180 and B1110 in Annexes VIII and IX to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal and the findings on the consequential implications of the review of Annex IV to the Convention developed by the expert working group on the review of Annexes. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on providing further legal clarity (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/10), the annexes to the present note set out draft versions of the notification document, the movement document, the instructions for completing both documents, the national reporting format and the manual for completing the format for national reporting, showing in yellow highlighting where adjustments may need to be made as a consequence of possible amendments to Annex IV to the Convention. These draft versions are without prejudice to other changes that may be brought to those documents. The present note, including its annexes, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As referred to in the note by the Secretariat on Basel Convention Partnership Programme (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/12), the annex to the present note sets out the revised draft overall guidance document on the environmentally sound management of household waste. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on Basel Convention Partnership Programme (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/12), the annex to the present note sets out a report of the activities of the Household Waste Partnership working group. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on the Basel Convention Partnership Programme (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/12), the annex to the present note sets out a report on progress made in the implementation of the workplan of the Plastic Waste Partnership working group. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on Basel Convention Partnership Programme (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/12), annex I to the present note sets out revised version of the terms of reference for the follow-up partnership to the Partnership for Action on Computing Equipment. Annex II sets out a revised programme of work for the working group of the partnership. A progress report on the work conducted under the partnership is set out in annex III to the present note. The present note, including its annexes, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

In the light of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, on 10 June 2020, following the feedback received from Parties on the proposed arrangements for the twelfth meeting of the Open ended Working Group of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, which was to have been held by electronic means from 22 to 25 June 2020, the Bureau of the twelfth meeting of the Open ended Working Group decided to postpone the meeting.