Accident prevention and preparedness for hazardous waste and chemicals emergencies

Background

By Decision V/32, the emergency mechanism was set up at the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 1999 to allow developing countries and countries with economies in transition that are Party to the Basel Convention to request assistance from the Secretariat of the Basel Convention.

In case of an incident occurring during a transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and other wastes covered by the Basel Convention, the emergency mechanism is executed in order:

              • To estimate the magnitude of damage occurred or damage that may occur and the measures needed to prevent damage; 
              • To take appropriate emergency measures to prevent or mitigate the damage;
              • To help find those Parties and other entities in a position to give the assistance needed.

The list used for determining which countries are developing countries and countries with economies in transition will be taken from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

A standard form for requesting emergency assistance and further information are available under the "Procedures" Section of this website.

Further, Decision V/32 also states that where damage occurs that is covered by the Liability and Compensation Protocol , the Secretariat of the Basel Convention, may, upon request by a developing country Party or Party with economy in transition, provide compensation for damage resulting from an incident occurring during a transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and their disposal. The Protocol has not yet entered into force, therefore the possibility to request compensation for such damage will become operational on the date the Protocol enters into force.

Finally, in order to prevent emergencies, Decision V/32 also gives the possibility to Parties that are developing countries and countries with economies in transition to apply for assistance to develop their capacity-building and transfer of technology and put in place measures to prevent accidents and damage to the environment caused by the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and other wastes and their disposal.

More information about these three specific areas of intervention can be found in the Interim Guidelines for the implementation of decision V/32 on “Enlargement of the scope of the technical cooperation trust fund”.