In a major step forward in curbing the plastic waste crisis, 187 countries added plastic to the Basel Convention, a treaty that controls the movement of hazardous waste from one country to another.
The amendments require exporters to obtain the consent of receiving countries before shipping most contaminated, mixed or unrecyclable plastic waste, providing an important tool for countries in the Global South to stop the dumping of unwanted plastic waste into their country.
After China banned imports of most plastic waste in 2018, developing countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, have received a huge influx of contaminated and mixed plastic wastes that are difficult or impossible to recycle. Norway’s proposed amendments to the Basel Convention provides countries the right to refuse unwanted or unmanageable plastic waste.
The decision reflects a growing recognition around the world of the toxic impacts of plastic and the plastic waste trade. The majority of countries expressed their support for the proposal and over one million people globally signed two public petitions from Avaaz and SumOfUs. Yet even amidst this overwhelming support, there were a few vocal outliers who opposed listing plastic under Annex II of the Basel Convention. These included the U.S., a large exporter of plastic waste; the American Chemistry Council; and the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.
Published in the June 2019 Edition