The Solid Waste & Hazardous Materials Section of the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has announced a number of amendments to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.
The amendments include a new waste category in Annex VIII – A3210. Waste falling into this category is subject to the Prior Informed Consent Procedure. This means that plastic waste is assumed to be hazardous.
There is also a new entry, B3011, which replaces B3010 in Annex IX. This is to clarify plastic wastes that are not presumed to be hazardous and are therefore not subject to the Prior Informed Consent procedure.
Wastes in this new category include: a group of cured resins, non-halogenated and fluorinated polymers, provided that the waste is destined for recycling in an environmentally sound manner and almost free from contamination and other types of wastes.
Annex II also features a new entry, Y48,which covers plastic waste, including mixtures. If they are hazardous they will fall under the category A3210, and if they are presumed not to be hazardous, they fall into the category of B3011.
All movements of plastic waste for environmentally sound disposal or recycling must be appropriately categorised and have the appropriate documentation.
Incorrect categorisation would constitute an illegal shipment in accordance with the provisions of the Convention. An illegal shipment refers to transboundary movement of hazardous wastes or other wastes which has occurred:
- Without notification
- Without consent
- With consent that was obtained through falsification, misrepresentation or fraud
- Does not conform with the documents
- Results in deliberate dumping
Illegal shipments of hazardous and other wastes can result in:
- The return of the waste to the generator, at their expense
- Fines
- Administrative sanctions
These amendments to the Basel Convention are applicable to Barbados and all waste management operations that involve the transport of any listed wastes under the Convention.
Waste management facilities are furthermore referred to the following resources for additional information and to make the necessary adjustments to their operations in light of these changes: