African countries and the conventions on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes

Brunnee, Jutta (Supervisor) In recent decades, hazardous waste generation has increased in industrialized countries, and disposal facilities, especially landfill spaces, have become scarce and therefore more expensive. As a result, exports of hazardous waste to developing countries, especially to Africa grew considerably due to low cost of "disposal". African countries lack the legal and industrial set-ups and technical capacity to dispose of the waste safely. In an attempt to control such exports, African countries adopted the Bamako Convention in January, 1991. The Convention was modelled on the Basel Convention, an instrument adopted earlier on the same subject, but at a global level. Except with respect to certain issues like clean production methods, non-polluting technology and inter-African trade in hazardous waste, the Bamako and Basel Conventions are identical and contain similar shortcomings. On account of Africa's reality, however, the Bamako Convention should have approached the problem of transboundary movements of hazardous waste within the context of a comprehensive legal, economic, political, ethical and environmental strategy. Reliance on people's participation, regional environmental assessment and co-operation with industrialized countries should have been emphasised. Furthermore, African countries should have sought solutions at global, regional and national levels.