Dumping of e-waste by developed countries

Published
15th Sep, 2022

Context

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson Justice Arun Kumar Mishra (retd.) expressed concern over the dumping of e-waste in developing countries by developed countries.

About

While addressing the annual meeting of the Asia Pacific Forum of national human rights institutions of countries in the region, he called for a stop to the practice in order "to universally ensure human rights for a healthy sustainable environment".
A multi-pronged strategy was needed to combat climate change in a time-bound manner by all countries.

E-Waste:

E-waste, or electronic waste, refers to all electronic equipment that’s been discarded by users with no intentions of reuse.
This includes everything from smaller items like lamps and phones to larger appliances like televisions, refrigerators and washing machines.

Basel Convention:

The Basel Convention came into force in 1992, intends to reduce trans-boundary movements of hazardous waste, including e-waste, from developed to less developed countries (LDCs), and ensure their safe disposal as closely as possible to the source of generation.
Secretariat location: Basel, Switzerland
Parties: 187 (Haiti and the United States have signed the Convention but not ratified it).
It does not address the movement of radioactive waste.
To implement and restrict the trade of hazardous waste between more developed countries and less developed countries an organization is formed which is known as Basel Action Network (BAN)
The United States is the only developed country that has not ratified this treaty, which means it does not have to abide by its rules and regulations.
The provisions of the Convention center around the following principal aims:
- The reduction of hazardous waste generation and the promotion of environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes, wherever the place of disposal.
- The restriction of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes except where it is perceived to be in accordance with the principles of environmentally sound management.
- A regulatory system applying to cases where transboundary movements are permissible.