Page 56 - Plastics News September 2018

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Countries support for controlling plastic scrap in international

trade treaty at the Basel Convention

KH WK 0HHWLQJ RI WKH 2SHQ (QGHG :RUNLQJ *URXS According to the NGOs, many countries voiced their
Tof the Basel Convention has concluded with support VXSSRUW IRU WKH 1RUZHJLDQ SURSRVDO RQ WKH ÁRRU RI WKH
for Norway’s proposal to add plastics to the list of wastes meeting, including China, Congo, Democratic Republic
subject to the trade controls under the convention, of Congo, El Salvador, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Libya,
according to a number of nongovernmental organizations Maldives, Malaysia, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Panama,
(NGOs) that back the proposal.The proposal is seen as a Senegal, South Africa, State of Palestine, Switzerland,
key mechanism to reduce marine debris and plastic litter, 7RJR 7XQLVLD DQG 8UXJXD\ +RZHYHU VRPH FRXQWULHV
the NGOs, which include the Basel Action Network (BAN), LQFOXGLQJ WKH (8 &DQDGD -DSDQ DQG $XVWUDOLD KRSH WR
Seattle; the Break Free From Plastic movement; and block, delay or water down the proposal, the organizations
the Center for International Environmental Law (CEIL), DGG 7KH :DVKLQJWRQ EDVHG ,QVWLWXWH RI 6FUDS 5HF\FOLQJ
Industries, a trade organization representing the recycling
industry, has voiced its concern regarding the proposals
before the Basel Convention, saying they could reshape
and harm the trade of plastic scrap. In response to
such concerns, David Azoulay, senior attorney for CIEL,
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its impacts on human health and the environment are
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few countries or industry sectors prevent much-needed
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The meeting also recommended the creation of a
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D OLVW RI ZDVWHV IRU ´VSHFLDO FRQVLGHUDWLRQµ XQGHU WKH of plastic waste.Both proposals will be forwarded to the
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countries and consent by importing countries prior to D GHFLVLRQ LQ $SULO ´7KH %DVHO &RQYHQWLRQ LV XQLTXHO\
export. Because of the growing volume of plastic waste SRVLWLRQHG WR WDNH D OHDGHUVKLS UROH LQ VWHPPLQJ WKH ÁRRG
being produced and the plastic scrap import ban in China, WLGH RI SODVWLF ZDVWH QRZ HQJXOÀQJ WKH HQWLUH SODQHW µ
this material, primarily from Europe, Japan and North VD\V -LP 3XFNHWW %$1 GLUHFWRU ´7KH\ FDQ GR WKLV QRW RQO\
America, has been looking for homes on the global market, E\ FRQWUROOLQJ XQZDQWHG WUDGH EXW >DOVR@ E\ SURPRWLQJ
which it has found in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and steps to minimize the production of single-use and other
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impossible to recycle and thus ends up being dumped or
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burned openly in the recipient countries, creating toxic of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
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As of June 24, Thailand had seized 30,000 container 2(:* FRQYHQHG IURP 6HSWHPEHU DW WKH
loads of plastic scrap at its ports and began imposing an International Conference Centre in Geneva, Switzerland.
import ban. Von Hernandez, global coordinator of the In total, over 400 participants attended the meeting,
%UHDN )UHH IURP 3ODVWLF PRYHPHQW VD\V ´7KH 1RUZHJLDQ including delegates representing 134 parties, six Basel
proposal to place plastic scrap under Basel controls will &RQYHQWLRQ 5HJLRQDO &HQWUHV %&5&V 81 DJHQFLHV
EH D VLJQLÀFDQW ÀUVW VWHS WR SURWHFW 6RXWKHDVW $VLD DQG non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and business
developing countries everywhere from becoming the trash and industry.
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Plastics News September 2018 56