The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Barbados, March 2009

Overview (1) • A framework for Life Cycle Management • The 3 conventions together cover elements of “cradle-to-grave” management • Scope and coverage • Areas for integrated implementation • Technical assistance and financial resources • Synergies process Barbados, March 2009

General Overview Barbados, March 2009

Basel • Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal • Adopted 1989 in response to concerns about developed country companies dumping hazardous wastes in developing countries • Entered into force on 5 May 1992 • To date it has 170 Parties Barbados, March 2009

Basel Objective Reduce transboundary movement of hazardous wastes to a minimum consistent with their environmentally sound management Dispose of hazardous wastes as close as possible to their source of generation Minimize generation of hazardous wastes in terms of quantity and degree of hazard

Basel Key provisions A procedure for the notification of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes or other wastes, based upon a prior written consent procedure Each shipment needs a movement document from the point of transboundary movement to the point of disposal

Basel Key provisions Transboundary movement only among parties Export is prohibited if: The state of import has an import ban, OR The state of import has not given its consent to the import

Basel Support for implementation Manual and guidelines Model legislation on control and management of hazardous wastes Implementation manual Instruction manual on the control system Technical Guidelines Basel Convention Regional Centres

Rotterdam • Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade • Adopted in 1998 in response to dramatic growth in chemicals trade, and vulnerability of developing countries to uncontrolled imports • Entered into force on 24 February 2004 • To date it has 128 Parties Barbados, March 2009

Rotterdam Objective To promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts among Parties in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm and to contribute to their environmentally sound use

Rotterdam How Provides an early warning of potentially hazardous chemicals Provides the basis for decisions regarding of future imports of chemicals (PIC procedure) Helps to enforce those import decisions

Rotterdam Key provisions PIC procedure - Provides for a national decision making process on import of hazardous chemicals in Annex III and attempts to ensure compliance with these decisions by exporting Parties Information exchange - the exchange of information on a broad range of potentially hazardous chemicals

Rotterdam Support for implementation Decision Guidance Documents (DGD) Import response PIC Circular Responsibilities of importing and exporting Parties Export notifications Information to accompany export

Stockholm Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants • Adopted in 2001 in response to an urgent need for global action on “POPs” (chemicals that are “persistent, bioaccumulate in fatty tissues and biomagnify through the food chain”) • Entered into force on 17 May 2004 • To date it has 162 Parties Barbados, March 2009

Stockholm Objective To protect human health and the environment from the harmful impacts of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) How Eliminate production and use of intentionally produced POPs Minimize and where feasible eliminate releases of unintentionally produced POPs Clean-up old stockpiles and equipment containing POPs Support the transition to safer alternatives Target additional POPs for action

Stockholm Key provisions Elimination of production/use of Annex A chemicals Restriction of production/use Annex B chemicals Reduction/elimination of release of Annex C chemicals Identification/management of obsolete stocks, wastes with POPs Selection of new POPs

Stockholm Support for implementation Detailed guidance is available including: Developing a national implementation plan (NIP) for the Stockholm Convention Reducing and Eliminating the use of POPs Action Plan for the Reduction of Reliance on DDT in Disease Vector Control Framework for the Management of PCBs

Scope and coverage • Basel covers hazardous wastes that are explosive, flammable, poisonous, infectious, corrosive, toxic or ecotoxic. • Rotterdam covers pesticides and industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted for health or environmental reasons by Parties and which have been notified by Parties for inclusion in the PIC procedure (29 pesticides and 11chemicals). • Stockholm covers 9 pesticides, and 3 industrial chemicals and by-products. • Most POPs are covered by all three Conventions. • Many pesticides are subject to the three conventions. Barbados, March 2009

Areas for integrated implementation • Framework for lifecycle managment (BC, RC, SC) • Chemicals covered (BC, RC, SC) • Regulatory framework (BC, RC, SC) • Import/export controls (BC, RC, SC) • Waste management (BC & SC) • Hazard communication (BC, RC, SC) Barbados, March 2009

1. Framework for lifecycle managment Together the three conventions cover the key elements of the life cycle management of hazardous chemicals

1. Framework for lifecycle managment Rotterdam Convention is a first line of defence against future POPs gives countries an early opportunity to consider alternatives PIC procedure should assist in avoiding an accumulation of unwanted stockpiles

1. Framework for lifecycle managment Stockholm Convention eliminate production and use of POPs chemicals restricts the import and export of POPs to cases where the purpose is the environmentally sound disposal reduce or eliminate releases of POPs working on BAT/BEP guidelines

1. Framework for lifecycle managment Basel Convention can assist in managing disposal of unwanted stockpiles technical working group is developing guidelines on management of POPs wastes

2. Chemicals Covered 8 of the 10 intentionally produced POPs are subject to the Rotterdam Convention anticipate that in future intentionally produced POPs in the Stockholm Convention will be first included in the Rotterdam Convention as wastes all chemicals will be subject to the Basel Convention

3. Regulatory infrastructure Countries can use the experience gained during ratification of the Basel Convention for Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions Guidance to developing National Implementation Plans (NIPs) adopted at Stockholm Convention COP-1 includes references to integration with the Rotterdam Convention National chemicals legislation – all three Conventions involve a review of existing legal or administrative infrastructure

4. Import/Export Controls All three Conventions provide mechanisms to restrict imports and obligations on exports Customs officials should be trained on Convention requirements in a coordinated manner, addressing all three Conventions Conventions may facilitate monitoring of movement of hazardous chemicals

4. Import/Export Controls Secretariats of the three Conventions are working together to ensure a coordinated approach to training customs authorities on the requirements of the Conventions in association with UNEP Green Customs initiative and the World Customs Organization

5. Waste Management Movement of wastes under Basel Convention Rotterdam and Stockholm may help to prevent accumulation of stockpiles Basel Convention is developing technical guidelines for PCB, dioxins, furans and other hazardous wastes These will be taken up by Stockholm Convention

6. Hazard Communication All three Conventions require Parties to communicate hazard information to the secretariat, other Parties and/or the public National focal points for the Conventions should share information to ensure awareness among relevant authorities Close cooperation between focal points and regulators will assist in an integrated approach such cooperation may assist in coordinated implementation, as common issues can be considered together

Technical assistance and Financial Resources (1) • Basel Technical Cooperation Trust Fund • Rotterdam acknowledges need for technical assistance • Stockholm sets up a “financial mechanism” • the GEF, as a principal entity, is entrusted on a interim basis with its operations + • Bilateral and multilateral financial institutions Barbados, March 2009

Technical assistance (2) • Basel and Stockholm provide for regional centres for training and technology transfer • Basel Regional Centres (14) • Nominated Stockholm Convention Centres (12) • 5 Basel Regional Centres also serve as Nominated Stockholm Convention Centres Barbados, March 2009

Synergies process • Decisions of the 3 COPs • Establishment of the Joint Ad Hoc Working Group on enhancing cooperation and coordination among the Conventions • Adoption of recommendation by 3 COPs

Thank You! For further information please visit: www.basel.int www.pic.int www.pops.int

The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions