At the 15th Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG-15) of the Basel Convention, ESDO Executive Director Siddika Sultana underscored the critical importance of the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure as a cornerstone of the Convention’s protective framework. The Basel Convention plays a vital role in safeguarding countries, particularly developing nations, from the harmful impacts of hazardous and other wastes by regulating their transboundary movement and promoting environmentally sound waste management.
Through the PIC procedure, countries can exercise their sovereign right to make informed decisions on whether to allow the import, export, or transit of hazardous wastes through their territories.
As global waste trade continues to pose environmental and public health challenges, strengthening the implementation of the Basel Convention remains essential to protecting vulnerable communities, advancing environmental justice, and ensuring that no country becomes a dumping ground for hazardous waste.
