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Basel Convention The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal aims to protect human health and the environment from the potential harmful effects of hazardous waste. The Convention defines the global means to: (a) minimize hazardous waste at source; (b) strictly control the transboundary movement of hazardous waste; and (c) ensure that the hazardous wastes are disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. The key obligation set out in the Convention is the prior informed consent system to control and monitor the transboundary movement of hazardous waste among the Parties to the Convention. The Convention was adopted by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Basel in 1989 and entered into force in May 1992. The PRC Government deposited its instrument of ratification with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on December 17, 1991. The Convention is also applicable to the HKSAR. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is the designated Competent Authority of the HKSAR for implementing the Convention in the HKSAR. The Basel Convention is implemented in Hong Kong through Part IVA of the Waste Disposal Ordinance (WDO) (Cap 354), which took effect in September 1996. In brief, the import into and export from Hong Kong of any waste, including all those hazardous wastes listed in the 7th Schedule of the WDO, is subject to permit control. The only exception is the import or export of uncontaminated recyclable wastes (listed in the 6th Schedule of the WDO) for reuse or recycling purposes. Failure to obtain a permit from the EPD prior to any import or export of controlled waste constitutes an offence under Cap 354. The EPD has established an information exchange network with both local and overseas control authorities to monitor waste shipment activities and to collect intelligence on dubious waste shipments for joint enforcement action to effectively combat illegal shipments of hazardous waste in the region. The Basel Convention text and related information can be found at the Convention's website: http://www.basel.int.
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