In December 2002, in relation to plastics, COP-6 adopted the Technical guidelines for the identification and environmentally sound management (ESM) of plastic wastes and for their disposal.
At its fourteenth meeting by decision BC-14/13, the COP decided to update the technical guidelines on plastic wastes. In accordance with decision BC-14/13, a small intersessional working group (SIWG) co-led by China, Japan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was established to prepare draft updated technical guidelines. Since then, the technical guidelines have been updated multiple times, and reviewed the SIWG and COP. More details about the SIWG composition can be found here.
As per decision BC-16/4, the COP adopted the most up to date version of the technical guidelines. The Technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of plastic wastes, can be found here and at the COP-16 meeting page (document: UNEP/CHW.16/6/Add.3/Rev.1). The current version of the guidelines provide comprehensive guidance to Parties on:
- The scientific and technical background to plastic waste;
- The relevant legal and policy framework under the Basel Convention, as well as other MEAs
- Best practices for the environmentally sound management of plastic waste
- Technical assistance and capacity building available to Parties from the BRS Secretariat.
Development of the technical guidelines
Work following COP-14 in 2019
After COP-14, the SIWG held various meetings to discuss the update of the guidelines. Information on these meetings can be found here.
In the period from 2019 to 2022 the SIWG prepared revised drafts of the guidelines which were presented for the consideration of the OEWG-12 meeting, face-to-face and online segment (see document UNEP/CHW/OEWG.12/INF/14/Rev.2) and COP-15 meeting (see document UNEP/CHW.15/6/Add.7).
Additionally in 2021, all Parties and observers were invited to comment on a draft prepared by the SIWG, by 15 July 2021. The draft can be found here, and the comments here. The inputs of this process were taken into account by the SIWG and co-leads in the version of the guidelines prepared for COP-15.
Work following COP-15 in 2022
At COP-15 the draft was discussed and revised (see document UNEP/CHW.15/6/Add.7/Rev.1), and as per decision BC-15/10 the update of the guidelines shall continue.
As per the same decision, Parties and observers were invited to:
- Nominate additional experts to participate in the SIWG, and inform the Secretariat by 31 July 2022 (paragraph 4)
- Submit to the Secretariat by 16 September 2022 general comments and textual proposals on the draft updated technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW.15/6/Add.7/Rev.1) (paragraph 5).
As per paragraph 6, the COP invited co-lead countries, in consultation with the SIWG to prepare a further updated version of the technical guidelines, based on the discussion during COP-15 and the comments submitted by 16 September 2022, for consideration by the OEWG-13 meeting, taking place in Geneva from 21 to 23 February 2023.
The SIWG met a couple of times to work on the update of the document. Details about each meeting can be found here.
At COP-16 in 2023
As per decision BC-16/4, the COP adopted the updated version of the technical guidelines, entitled Technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of plastic wastes.
Please click here for the adopted technical guidelines organized in the format of a publication.
Other activities related to plastic wastes, marine plastics or microplastic before COP14
COP-11 adopted the Framework for the ESM of hazardous wastes and other wastes (decision BC-11/1). A number of guidance as well as a collection of practical tools to assist Parties and other stakeholders in ensuring ESM of hazardous and other wastes, known as “ESM Toolkit”, were developed.
COP-13 adopted Draft Guidance to assist Parties in developing efficient strategies for achieving the prevention and minimization of the generation of hazardous and other wastes and their disposal (decision BC-13/3), in which plastic waste was highlighted as a key waste stream; and welcomed Draft practical manuals on extended producer responsibility and financing systems for environmentally sound management (decision BC-13/2).
Additionally, COP-13 adopted Draft Guidance manual on how to improve the sea-land interface (decision BC-13/15) to ensure that wastes falling within the scope of MARPOL, once offloaded from a ship, are managed in an environmentally sound manner.