TRP Chapter 1.1 1

Chapter 1.1 Introduction

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Why raise hazardous waste management standards?

To reduce risks of inadequate controls on hazardous wastes including:

•Health impacts for those living near uncontrolled dumps, and for waste workers

•Environmental damage from dumped waste eg groundwater pollution, contaminated land

•Operational problems at waste treatment facilities where incoming wastes are not controlled

•Trend to ‘export’ waste to other regions or countries if proper facilities not available

For economic reasons

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An integrated approach to hazardous waste management

ENFORCEMENT

LEGISLATION

SUPPORTSERVICES

WASTE

GENERATOR

FACILITIES

DEFINITION OR

CLASSIFICATION

OF WASTE

TRANSPORT

COMMAND AND

CONTROL

REGULATION

FACILITIES

ECONOMIC

INSTRUMENTS

INFORMATION

DISSEMINATION

AND USE

VOLUNTARY

APPROACH

COMPONENTS OF THEOVERALL SYSTEM

ELEMENTS

WHAT TO CONTROL?

HOW TO

CONTROL?

*

InstitutionalArrangements

Stakeholders

Source: David C Wilson 1999

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The size of the waste problem

Wastes of all kinds are a significant problem worldwide

• Waste volumes are increasing in many countries along with industrial and population growth

• Slow uptake of Cleaner Production and waste minimisation

• Slow growth in off-site treatment and disposal facilities

• Hazardous waste increases as a result of, for example:

•growth in trade in chemical products

•increase in hazardous components in household waste

•improving health care, generates more medical wastes

• Waste from obsolete products can be as important as waste from processing

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The context: All countries generate hazardous waste

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Global Waste Survey: aim

The overall objective of the Global Waste Survey was:

To develop a plan of action for co-ordinating and assisting the efforts of international agencies and countries around the world to identify and implement environmentally sound waste management options to minimise and, where possible, avoid the generation of hazardous wastes and to eliminate the dumping of industrial waste at sea.

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Global Waste Survey: first task

Global Waste Inventory (GWI) was based on a questionnaire on industrial and hazardous wastes circulated to 153 countries

• formed a unique worldwide database • provided pointers of future trends• identified:

•countries with serious problems• countries with legislation in place• countries generating particular types of waste• countries with specific facilities

• confirmed that all countries generate hazardous wastes

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Country Profiles

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International waste management

•Some highly controversial incidents of waste export were recorded in the 1980s

•Many countries wanted assistance, others to share experience

•There was no international monitoring arrangement, no single classification system

•No clear view of what environmentally sound management really was

•Cairo Guidleines provided a broad set of principles but not implementation advice

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• Came into force in 1992• As of 2001, 146 parties to the Convention

Key objectives:• To minimise quantity and hazard of wastes generated• To ensure environmentally sound management and

adequate disposal facilities• To dispose of wastes as close as possible to their point of

generation• To reduce transboundary movements• To prohibit exports from developed to developing countries• To provide support to Member States

The Basel Convention

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Evolution of hazardous waste management controls in

developed countries

HWM systems go back only 30 years• Around 25 countries with well developed HWM

systems• Maybe 20 more with systems under development

All national systems have many common features eg• regulatory controls introduced in stages • gradual facility development• administration and information systems

BUT no two national systems are identical

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Developed world experience

•Hazardous waste management systems and controls evolved over a long period, in stages

•Gradual tightening up of controls on air and water pollution, and solid waste, revealed pollution

•Increasing costs of waste disposal led to interest in waste minimisation

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Developed world lessons

• Hazardous waste management controls must be introduced in stages

• Legislative and enforcement measures must be developed in parallel with establishment of facilities and support services

• As controls on emissions to air, land and water are gradually tightened, areas of pollution can be identified and addressed

• Public communication should begin at the outset• Waste minimisation should be addressed at an early stage - waste minimisation reduces the size (and hence cost) of treatment facilities needed

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Who is concerned about waste

management? Key stakeholders include:

•waste generators

•waste disposal workers including those handling and transporting waste

•industrial development agencies and institutions

•environmental protection agencies

•neighbours of waste facilities

•ordinary citizens everywhere

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How easy for my country?

Source: David C Wilson 1993

Advantages

Learn from the experience of others

Disadvantages

Lack of infrastructure

Lack of money

Lack of skills

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Transitional technologies

Source: David C Wilson 1993

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Examples of transitional technology

Treatment plant and storage sumps for

textile dyeing waste water, Bangkok

Source: David C Wilson

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Difficulties

Need to fit the pieces together:

• basic information

• development

• implementation

• enforcement

• communication and training

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Resources needed

• Financial investment

• Technical assistance

• Training for personnel

• Public information and communication with industry

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Links with GNP

Country A

High income nation US$16,500 eg 2% US$330

Country B

Middle income nation US$1,700 eg 4% US$68

Proportion of GNP spent on all

environmental services*

GNP per person

* Includes water supply, sanitation, waste management, environmental health

Revenue available

per person

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Overall objectives

Parallel components of a national strategy include:

• Build capacity to deal with hazardous wastes

• Bring locally-generated hazardous waste under

control

• Control trans-national corporations

• Implement the Basel Convention (control import

and export)

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No two countries are the same

•Developing economies vary widely

•It may not be appropriate or possible for small countries to support a range of regulatory measures and treatment and disposal facilities

•The chosen approach must reflect local circumstances

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Guiding principles

• Do something now• Provide initial funding• Use carrot and stick• Communicate with major stakeholders

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Chapter 1.1 Summary

• The need for higher hazardous waste management standards, for an integrated approach, and also for quantifying waste

• Lessons from developed world experience

• Setting overall objectives

• The need for resources

• Guiding principles