Safe management of chemicals and hazardous waste to be discussed in Geneva

During the meetings, the participants intend to agree on the measures needed to ensure the safe management of chemicals and to promote the environmentally sound management and transportation of hazardous waste at international level.

During the Stockholm and Rotterdam COPs, the participants hope to agree on amendments to the convention annexes to include chemicals which have been recommended by the respective expert committees of the Conventions for such listing, taking into account the chemical’s toxicity, its impact on the environment and human health, and its use. The Rotterdam Chemical Review Committee has suggested the inclusion of three new chemicals – harmful insecticides, liquid formations containing paraquat dichloride and chrysotile asbestos. The Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee has prepared decisions for listing hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), chlorinated naphthalenes and pentachlorophenol. If the participants reach agreement, restrictions on the application and registration of these chemicals will be determined at international level.

A discussion will be dedicated to the establishment of compliance mechanisms for the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions, which are vital for ensuring an internationally coordinated approach to the commitments of the Parties to these Conventions.  

The Basel Convention COP will consider the adoption of two key documents:

• the manual developed by the Implementation and Compliance Committee on the hazardous waste inventory, the take-back of illegal transboundary waste shipments and the implementation of control systems;
• technical guidelines on transboundary shipments of electrical and electronic waste and used electric and electronic equipment, and environmentally safe management of mercury and mercury waste.

The Conferences of the Parties to the Conventions take place every two years to assess progress in the implementation of the Conventions and to agree on the plan for the next two years and the necessary funding. It is a forum that also brings together representatives from the industry, NGOs and various international organisations whose daily work is related to chemicals and waste management issues.

*The twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (BC COP-12), the seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention (RC COP-7) and the seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (SC COP-7).