GENEVA, May 11, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Around 180 governments on Friday agreed on
a new UN accord to regulate the export of plastic waste, some eight million
tonnes of which ends up in the oceans each year, organisers said.
The 1,400 representatives, meeting in Geneva reached the agreement after 12
days’ discussion on what Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the UN
Environment Programme (UNEP) called “one of the world’s most pressing
environmental issues”.
The Geneva meeting amended the 1989 Basel Convention on the control of
hazardous wastes to include plastic waste in a legally-binding framework.
“I’m proud that this week in Geneva, Parties to the Basel Convention have
reached agreement on a legally-binding, globally-reaching mechanism for
managing plastic waste,” said Payet.
The IPEN umbrella group seeking to eliminate hazardous, toxic chemicals
said the new amendment would empower developing countries to refuse plastic
waste dumping”.
“For far too long developed countries like the US and Canada have been
exporting their mixed toxic plastic wastes to developing Asian countries
claiming it would be recycled in the receiving country
“Instead, much of this contaminated mixed waste cannot be recycled and is
instead dumped or burned, or finds its way into the ocean,” said IPEN science
advisor Sara Brosche.
Plastic waste pollution has reached “epidemic proportions” with an
estimated 100 million tonnes of plastic now found in the oceans.
The Geneva meeting also undertook to eliminate two toxic chemical groups —
Dicofol and Perfluorooctanoic Acid, plus related compounds. The latter has
been used in a wide variety of industrial and domestic applications including
non-stick cookware and food processing equipment, as well as carpets, paper
and paints.
The European Union coordinates and directs environmental protection for its
members, through the regulation of industry and the setting of green policy
goals.