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Project Fact Sheet
Project Title Transboundary Movements of Waste
Project Period On-going since 1982
Background and Project Objective:
Following indiscriminate and uncontrolled traffic in hazardous wastes which resulted in adverse effects on human health and the environment (e.g. Seveso dioxin barrels), OECD member countries decided in 1984 that exports and imports of hazardous waste should be controlled. For that purpose, the OECD developed eight Council Acts that were adopted by member countries. These Acts form the basis of the Basel Convention and several European Community directives.
In addition, due to the yearly volume and value of recoverable wastes, OECD developed a control system [see Decision C(92)39/FINAL] in order to enhance economically efficient and environmentally sound management of waste. This control system is based on risk assessment and designed to facilitate trade of wastes destined for recovery within the OECD area.
Work areas and Major Achievements:
The work on transboundary movements of wastes cannot be qualified as “a project” per se but rather as a continuous work necessary to keep up-to-date and improve the international regulatory framework put in place by the OECD. In addition, the “harmonisation” of the OECD Control System with the Basel Convention, which was requested by member countries to work toward a “global control system”, has called for substantial revisions of the system in 1999-2000 and the issuance of a new Council Act [see Decision C(2001)107/FINAL]. The harmonisation process is still going on and involves a number of tasks to be fulfilled by the OECD Secretariat.
The following responsibilities are being carried out by the OECD Secretariat:
- Update and consolidation of seven Council Acts on transboundary movements of wastes into a single Act [see Resolution C(2001)208].
- Update and revision of the OECD Control System in order to harmonise to the extent possible its procedures, its notification and movement forms and waste lists with those of the Basel Convention. This involves regular amendments of the OECD lists of wastes according to the amendments adopted by the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Basel Convention or according to proposals submitted by OECD member countries and industry.
- Production and update of a Guidance Manual for the implementation of Decision C(2001)107/FINAL on the control of transboundary movements of wastes destined for recovery operations [see ENV/EPOC/WGWPR(2001)6/FINAL and its forthcoming revision].
- Development and maintenance of an Interactive Database on the OECD website which provides the necessary information for national competent authorities, exporters and importers in order to proceed with movements of wastes: http://www.oecd.org/document/17/0,2340,en_2649_34395_35644113_1_1_1_1,00.html
Publications and Other Outputs:
OECD Council Acts:
Council Act C(2001)107/Final on the control of Transboundary Movements Destined for Recovery Operations
C(92)39/FINALDecision Concerning the Control of Transfrontier Movements of Wastes Destined for Recovery Operations
(Lists of wastes included in this Decision, have been revised five times:
- in 1998 : C(98)202/FINAL
- in 1996 : C(96)231/FINAL
- in 1995 : C(95)155/FINAL
- in 1994 : C(94)153/FINAL
- in 1993 : C(93)74/FINAL
C(90)178/FINAL
Decision-Recommendation on the Reduction of Transfrontier Movements of Wastes.
C(89)112/Final
Resolution on the Control of Transfrontier Movements of Hazardous Wastes.
C(89)1/Final
Resolution on Control of Transfrontier Movements of Hazardous Wastes.
C(89)1/Final (Revised in July 1994 by C(94)152/FINAL.)
Decision on Transfrontier Movements of Hazardous Wastes.
C(86)64/Final
Decision-Recommendation on Exports of Hazardous Wastes from OECD Area.
C(85)100Resolution on International Co-operation Concerning Transfrontier Movements of Hazardous Wastes.
C(83)180/Final
Decision Recommendation on Transfrontier Movements of Hazardous Wastes
Guidance Manual for the Implementation of Decision C(2001)107/FINAL on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Wastes Destined for Recovery Operations . http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2001doc.nsf/LinkTo/env-epoc-wgwpr(2001)6-finalOECD, Paris, 2002. Forthcoming revision of the above Guidance Manual in 2007.
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