Adopting laws to prevent the illegal export or import of hazardous waste

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities.

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal is concerned with the environmentally sound management of hazardous waste. The UK ratified the Convention on 7 February 1994, the same date as the European Community and most other Community Member States. At present there are 120 Parties to the Convention including the European Commission. The Convention provides a system of prior informed consent to exports of hazardous waste. Where exports do occur the onus is on the exporting state to ensure that the wastes will be managed in an environmentally sound way.