This document discusses the global hazardous waste crisis and the Basel Convention aimed at addressing it. It notes that the original Basel Convention of 1989 primarily monitored rather than prevented hazardous waste movement. Several events and reports from 2007-2010 highlighted continued problems from improper electronic waste disposal and illegal toxic waste dumping in developing nations. The document argues that fully ratifying the Basel Ban Amendment, which prohibits waste exports from developed to developing countries, could help address these ongoing issues.

1. By: Markie Ryckman

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31.  Global HazardousWaste Crisis
 Events that pushed for action
 Basel Convention on the Control ofTransboundary
Movements of HazardousWaste andTheir Disposal, 1989
 Issue cannot be resolved until Basel Ban (AnnexVII) is ratified

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51. WAIT!
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52. Basel Convention, 1989
1) Minimize the production of hazardous
waste
2) Disposing of hazardous waste as close to
the source of production as possible
3) Reducing movement of waste
3 Objectives:

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55. legitimizes
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75. “About 150 million television sets,
washing machines, refrigerators, air-
conditioners and computers are discarded
every year in China...Only 10 percent gets
recycled.”
-- 2007 China Daily report
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76. “When the original Basel Convention was adopted in 1989,
it was primarily an instrument to monitor the
transboundary movement of hazardous waste rather than
to prevent and reduce them.”
-- 2008 Daily News, Sri Lanka
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77. “Some parties [of the convention] say that the export of
used e-products into Nigeria is a way to address the digital
divide and to provide more jobs for the people. In reality, a
lot of these items are useless and end up in waste lots and
burned.”
-- 2008 Daily News, Sri Lanka
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78. “The improper treatment of electronics creates
serious pollution that takes more than a century to
dissipate, exposing the men, women, and children of
the countryside to major health hazards.”
-- 2009 China Daily report
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79. “Tens of thousands of tonnes of toxic waste from
Scotland are being illegally dumped in Africa and Asia
every year... threatening the environment and
endangering the health...This is about ensuring that
Scottish waste isn’t dumped on developing nations
which have insufficient facilities to deal with it.”
-- 2010 Sunday Herald Newspaper, Scotland
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80. “The Basel BanAmendment which prohibits the export of toxic
waste from developed countries such as the European Union to
developing countries can further enhance the control that is
needed to prevent toxic wastes ending up in Asia. Asian
governments will be well placed against this threat if they ratify
the Basel Ban”
-- Richard Gutierrez, Executive Director of
the Asia-Pacific office of the Basel Action Network, 20106

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84. Photo Sources
(numbered excluding non photo slides)
Slide 1: http://www.rachelnador.com/newpages/indivprojects/cartoon_room.htm,
http://lymenaide.wordpress.com/2010/04/20/countdown-to-may-week-2-who-gets-the-psa/,
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/objects-equipment/2160161-laptop.php?id=2160161,
http://www.clipartpal.com/clipart/cartoon/cartoon_265263.html
Slide 2: http://www.corbisimages.com/Enlargement/42-18675476.html, http://mobilereview24.com/blackberry-9000-bold-
review/, http://www.yugatech.com/blog/tag/ipod-nano/, http://www.levoltz.com/2009/07/23/5-things-to-look-for-when-
buying-a-digital-camera/, http://www.medical-supply.ie/giftcollection.shtml, http://www.mountaintopmtg.net/car-
loans.htm, http://www.peoplesoft-planet.com/ERP_Related_Industry_Advice_Articles.html
Slide 3: http://www.news-record.com/blog/52940/entry/67155, http://www.microscopyu.com/museum/firstnikon.html,
http://industrialrevolutionresearch.com/industrial_revolution_steam_engine.php,
http://www.ehow.com/how_5726112_count-binary-number-system.html,
http://markjowen.wordpress.com/tag/innovation/, http://www.eurotrib.com/story/2006/4/8/81320/22829,
http://www.zunal.com/index-matrix.php?Curriculum=110&Grade=104&page=7
Slide 4: http://storyofstuff.org/electronics/
Slide 5: http://www.mysafetylabels.com/Safety-Stickers/chemical-safety-hazard-labels.aspx
Slide 6: http://newyork.inetgiant.com/Albany/AdDetails/Free-Small-Business-Advertising-Videos/10044728
Slide 7: http://www.ban.org/photogallery/index.html
Slides 8-17:Washington Post archives:
http://proquest.umi.com.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/login?COPT=U01EPTYmSU5UPTAmVkVSPTImREJTPTI2OEE@
Slide 17: http://www.geographicguide.com/africa-map.htm
Slide 18: http://www.ban.org/photogallery/index.html
Slide 19:
http://proquest.umi.com.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/login?COPT=U01EPTYmSU5UPTAmVkVSPTImREJTPTI2OEE@
Slide 20: http://www.zerowastevancouver.org/are_you_a_concerned.html

85. Photo Sources
(numbered excluding non photo slides), indicated in bottom right corner or slides
Slide 21-24:
http://proquest.umi.com.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/login?COPT=U01EPTYmSU5UPTAmVkVSPTImREJTPTI2OEE@
Slide 25: NewYorkTimesArchive: http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?srchst=nyt&&srcht=a&srchr=n
Slide 26: http://www.basel.int/convention/basics.html, http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/co2-carbon-dioxide-
center/the-abcs-of-climate-change/
Slide 27: http://www.clipartof.com/gallery/clipart/screaming.html
Slide 28: http://storyofstuff.org/electronics/
Slide 29: http://storyofstuff.org/electronics/, http://greenixlive.blogspot.com/
Slide 30: http://storyofstuff.org/electronics/
Slide 31: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/features/uk-s-own-ghost-ship-in-india/,
http://archive.greenpeace.org/toxics/toxfreeasia/updates/june5.html, http://www.pollutionissues.com/A-
Bo/Activism.html, http://poietes.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/where-is-my-vote-protest-sign-in-iran/green-peace-sign/
Slide 32: http://storyofstuff.org/electronics/
Slide 33: http://library.thinkquest.org/07aug/00524/baselconvention.html
Slide 34: http://www.ban.org/photogallery/index.html
Slide 35: http://herinst.org/BusinessManagedDemocracy/government/privatisation/watercartels.html
Slide 36: http://becomingmighty.com/Excerpts/3BB8B922-E818-4E23-8852-4C77F6E91284.html
Slide 37:
http://proquest.umi.com.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/login?COPT=U01EPTYmSU5UPTAmVkVSPTImREJTPTI2OEE@
Slide 38: http://giftfreshmangos.com/, http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=91165,
http://raisingchildren.net.au/verve/_resources/girl-eating-mango.jpg,
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Skull_and_crossbones.png, http://www.mapsorama.com/satellite-photo-of-
north-america/, http://kelsocartography.com/print/maproom/
Slide 39: http://www.worldofstock.com/closeups/CON1679.php

86. Quotation Sources
1: http://www.ban.org/ban_news/2007/070129_grim_reality.html
2: http://www.ban.org/ban_news/2008/080701_harder_to_control.html
3: http://www.ban.org/ban_news/2008/080701_harder_to_control.html
4: http://www.ban.org/ban_news/2007/070129_grim_reality.html
5: http://www.ban.org/ban_news/2010/100926_poisoning_africa_and_asia.html
6: http://www.ban.org/ban_news/2008/080926_toxic_waste_exports_in_asia_alarming.html