Page 53 -

P
T
24 24 P a r t I : a r t I : T r e n d s a n d R e a s o n s t o G o G r e e nr e n d s a n d R e a s o n s t o G o G r e e n

BAN is active on a number of campaigns, including the following:

• E-Waste Stewardship Project A program to ensure that exports of hazardous
electronic waste to developing countries are eliminated and replaced with producer
responsibility via green design programs and legislation.
• Green Shipbreaking A program that ensures hazardous materials have been
removed from U.S. government ships prior to export.
• Zero Mercury Campaign A program working toward an internationally binding
treaty on mercury pollution to eliminate its extraction, use, trade, and recycling. To
promote permanent storage and alternative uses, BAN is working particularly to
eliminate surplus mercury trade to developing countries.
• Basel Ban Ratification BAN promotes the Basel Ban Amendment Ratifications
globally and works to prevent the weakening of this amendment.
Basel Convention
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes
and Their Disposal—less verbosely known as the Basel Convention—is an international
treaty designed to reduce the transportation of hazardous waste between nations, especially
from developed to less developed countries. Further, the convention deals with minimizing
the amount and toxicity of generated wastes. The Convention dates back to 1989 when it
was opened for signatures, and went into effect May 5, 1992.

NOTE Despite having “Basel” in their names, the Basel Action Network and the Basel Convention
are totally distinct. BAN is an activist group whereas the Basel Convention is a treaty.

Origins
The Basel Convention was needed because as environmental laws became stricter in the
1970s, shipping of waste became more popular.
One incident that led to the creation of the Basel Convention was the Khian Sea waste
disposal incident. A ship carrying incinerator ash from Philadelphia had dumped half its
load on a Haitian beach. It was forced away and sailed for several months, changing its
name numerous times. Since no port would accept it, the crew finally dumped its toxic load
at sea.
Another incident was a 1988 case in which five ships transported 8000 barrels of
hazardous waste from Italy to the Nigerian town of Koko. A farmer there had agreed to
store the waste on his property for $100 per month.
Although the origins of the Basel Convention had nothing to do with e-waste, in recent
years, thanks to the increasing trade in recycling electronic components, e-waste has become
a large component in the Basel Convention.
Application
The Basel Convention applies various conditions on the import and export of waste, and it
also applies strict requirements for the notice, consent, and tracking of movement of waste
across national boundaries.