U.S. urged to ratify toxic treaty

Adianto P. Simamora , The Jakarta Post , Nusa Dua, Bali | Tue, 06/24/2008 10:01 AM | National

A global toxic trade watchdog, the Basel Action Network, has again called on the United States to ratify the international toxic treaty and stop illegal trafficking of hazardous electronic waste.

The statement was made in the opening of the international conference on the Basel Convention's Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal here Monday.

"Until the United States changes its position within the Basel Convention and decides to join the rest of the global community in prohibiting the unscrupulous and environmentally damaging export of hazardous wastes to developing countries, it would be much better for the earth and its inhabitants to keep the United States out of the Basel Convention entirely," the Basel Network said in a statement.

Delegations of the United States attended the meeting as observers.

The Basel Action Network also criticized the United States' Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for sponsoring and funding the development of an electronic waste recycling standard, allowing U.S. recyclers to continue exporting toxic e-waste.

"The United States routinely allows massive exports of toxic e-waste to countries they know prohibit such imports," Jim Puckett of the Basel Action Network said.

"Until now, they never openly condoned this practice. The EPA is shamefully sanctioning a standard that openly advocates illegal trafficking into toxic electronic waste.

"Without a doubt, the United States is the world champion of e-waste dumping," he said.

The United Nations estimates between 20 and 50 million tons of electronic waste is generated worldwide each year.

E-waste contains lead, mercury and cadmium, which could cause intellectual impairment and damage to almost every organ and system in the human body, including the brain, nerves and bones.

Indonesian State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar, who is also the Basel Convention president, said illegal toxic waste trafficking did not show any sign of slowing since the adoption of the Basel Convention.

"The problem today is much more difficult to untangle due to the globalization of trade and significant increase in hazardous waste from industrialization and economic development," he said.

Executive secretary of the Basel Convention, Kathrina Kumper Peiry, said the Bali conference had no agenda to push the United States to become a member of the convention.

"We have to remember that no countries have an obligation to ratify the convention. Once they ratify it, they have the obligation to implement the Basel mechanism," she said.

Senior officials from 170 countries of the Basel treaty gathered in Bali Monday for a five-day conference. About 40 environmental ministers are expected to attend a high-level meeting starting Thursday.

The Basel Convention was adopted in 1989, aimed at regulating the traffic of toxic waste, mainly from wealthy nations to developing nations, such as Haiti, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, Suriname, Tajikistan and Timor Leste.

Comments (0) | Post comment

A | A | A |