Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal

Since 20 July 1995, Germany has been a party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, adopted on 22 March 1989. So far, approximately 170 countries have acceded to the Convention. The Basel Convention was the first instrument to lay down globally binding rules on the admissibility, authorisation and control of exports of hazardous waste. Transboundary movements of waste require the approval of the exporting country, of all transit countries and of the importing country. This is meant in particular to protect countries that do not have the necessary technical prerequisites for handling hazardous wastes.