Hazardous substances

Definition(a) -toxic

-flammable -explosive

(b) activities are hazardous if cause significant

harm(c) characterized as hazardous nationally(d) regulated as hazardous nationally

Hazardous substances

Regulation

-manufacture (worker exposure, accidents)

-transport (accidents)

-use (exposure, accidents)

-waste

Hazardous substancesaccidents

Regional international regulation:• EU Seveso Directive amended 1987, 1988,• Sandoz, Bhopal 1984• UNECE C on transboundary effects of

ind accidents 1992• 1996 -Seveso Directive II with mandatory

obligations for industry, public authorities

• Aznalcollar (Sp)1998, Eschede (Ger)2000, Baia Mare (Roum)2000, Toulouse (Fr) 2001

Hazardous substancesaccidents

UNECE Convention 1992

• Prevention (list of operators, hazards, inform potential victims, report past accidents, new siting only with consultation, env impact assessment)

• Preparedness (emergency plans, local authority, inform/access to judicial system, alarm systems....)

• Protocol on civil liability

Hazardous substancesinformation

Classification of hazardous substances

• Agenda 21

• Soft law

eg FAO Guidelines: pesticide use, code of conduct, various chemical information instruments

ILO, WHO, UNEP

• Rotterdam Convention 1998

Hazardous substancesinformation

FAO Code of Conduct on distribution and use of pesticides 1985 (for private and public entities)

• Increased awareness• Alternative methods• Assistance in legislation• Attempts to stop sale of banned pesticides• Training• Life-cycle management of pesticides

Hazardous substancesproviding information

Rotterdam Convention 1998

• Banned or severely restricted chemicals, Severely hazardous pesticides

• Prior informed consent (PIC) to export and import

• National enforcement• Harmonize customs codes, labelling standards• Industry measures to promote safe use• COP, Secretariat

Hazardous substances and wastesTransport

UNECE regional Transport conventions:

• ADR 1957 + protocols, +annexes eg on packaging, labelling, vehicle construction, training of crews

• UNECE Civil Liability Convention for Damage during Transport of….by Road, Rail, inland Navigation 1989

Hazardous substanceswork place protection (indirect env)

International Labour Organisation (ILO)

Asbestos

Benzene

Waste

Definition:

Municipal

Hazardous

radioactive (high, low level)

Disposal options

Landfills

Incineration

Reuse/recycle

Hazardous waste

E-junk landfill, China

Ocean dumping, ocean incineration

wasteMarineLondon Dumping Convention 1972, 1993

- deliberate disposal of wastes, incl. man-made structures- 3 annexes

-highly hazardous-prohibited with exceptions- special care substances-special permit- other waste-general permit

- permitting procedure itself specified

waste

London Dumping Convention (contd)• Permitting/ enforcement through coastal

state/national authority• Flag state of vessel responsible for vessels

in high seas• Report permits to IMO• Consult with IMO/potential victim state

before permitting dumping: show no alternatives, show harmlessness

waste

London Dumping Convention (contd)• Under COP decisions, moratorium on

radioactive waste dumping since 1994• No export of waste for ocean dumping• No waste incineration at sea since 1991• No industrial waste disposal at sea since 1996• Limited disposal of dredged material• All the above, and no seabed storage of wastes,

to come in revised Protocol 1996 (not in force)

Waste

US - 130m cellphones

- new purchase every 18 mo‘s

- 1% recycled

- 90 m computers, 15% recycled, 80%

Asian dumps/recycling

Hazardous waste (internal memo of then World Bank Chief economist Lawrence Summers,

1991):

“I think the economic logic behind dumping a load oftoxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccableand we should face up to the fact that…underpopulated countries in Africa are vastlyunderpolluted.“(Then Environment Minister of Brazil, Jose Lutzenberger found words forthe collective outrage in his written rebuke to the Bank):

"Your reasoning is perfectly logical but totallyinsane...your thoughts [provide] a concrete exampleof the unbelievable alienation, reductionist thinkingsocial ruthlessness and the arrogant ignorance ofmany conventional `economists' concerning thenature of the world we live in."

Waste trade

Basel/Basle Convention 1989

• Scope (art 1)

Hazardous (annex 1)

Other (annex II)

Not radioactive

• National definitions

Waste trade

Basel Convention (contd)MS rights and obligations (art 4):• Right to prohibit imports• Consent to imports in writing- ie, Prior

Informed Consent• No export if management not possible in an

environmentally sound manner• Prevent import if management not possible in

an environmentally sound manner

Waste trade

Basel Convention (contd)• Illegal traffic is criminal, regulation and

enforcement by national authority• No trade with non-parties• No disposal south of 60 South latitude• Transporters must be authorized• Labelling, packaging, transport standards• Documents for tracing path of HW

Waste trade

Basel Convention (contd)

• Duty to re-import in case conditions not fulfilled

Waste trade

Basel Convention (contd)

• All exports not carried out acc to Convention are illegal (art 9)

• Special arrangements possible among parties under Art 11!

• Protocol on liability (art 12)

• COP, UNEP Secretariat

Waste trade

Basel Convention (contd)

Liability Protocol (1999)

Criticism: this trade should not exist at all

Export Ban Amendment 1995 (art 4A)

Waste trade

Bamako Convention 1991 (OAU, UNECA):• Complete ban of imports into MS• Waste includes Basel Convention wastes

+ radioactive wastes+nationally defined hw+those banned by states

• No wastes for recycling, reuse• Prior written consent an obligation• Return illegal traffic to exporter only

Waste trade

Regional treaties:

Barcelona Convention Protocol 1991

Waigani treaty

---Asia targeted

Waste trade

Lome Convention 1989:

• Complete ban between EC and ACP states

• Hazardous, radioactive wastes

Possibly undermined by new Cotonou Agreement 2000

Land based marine pollutionSoft• UNEP Montreal Guidelines• Agenda 21, Global Action Plan resulting in

Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2001)

Regional• UN regional seas, Mediterranean, South-east

Pacific, Persian Gulf, Black Sea• National monitoring, reporting• No prior consultation, notification, equal access• No coordination with watercourses conventions

Hazardous substances, wastes

Conclusions:

-haz substances: large number of instruments, needs coordination

-wastes/haz wastes: focus on prevention needed