Advocating for Ratification of the Basel Ban Amendment

The Basel Ban Amendment forbids the export of hazardous waste for recycling or disposal from Annex VII countries (OECD Member States, EU Member States or Liechtenstein) to non-Annex VII countries (primarily developing and transition countries). The Ban Amendment benefits all countries. By prohibiting hazardous waste exports from developed countries, the Basel Ban Amendment helps protect developing and transition countries. For developed countries, the Basel Ban Amendment provides incentives for both waste prevention and green design. Currently, there is a large gap between the number of Basel Convention Parties (187) and number of Ban Amendment ratifications.

To address this issue and raise awareness about the importance of ratification, Basel Action Network and IPEN developed a Guide to the Ban Amendment.