Vital GEO Graphics

environmental needs.

have developed an illegal traffic guidance manual, while a guide for legal officials is under development and training is provided to developing countries through the Basel Convention Regional Centres.

Sources: Lin 2005, Secretariat of the Basel Convention 1994, Secretariat of the Basel Convention undated, UNEP 1998, UNEP 2006c, YCELP undated

Figure 8.7 Waste trafficking

D ownload G raphic 2

SCRAPPED CARS

Eastern Europe

From Europe

New Jersey

China

Baja California

Campania

Nigeria Mediterranean Sea Red Sea

Hong Kong

India

Senegal

Mexico

Philippines

Somalia

Asia

Singapore

The 2004 tsunami washed up quantities of toxic waste barrels on the Somalian shores.

Côte d’Ivoire

States or regions where illegal waste du m ping has been proven (not co m prehensive) Major current conflict zones OECD countries ( m ain hazardous waste producers)

PLASTIC WASTE CABLE WASTE

Abidjan

ELECTRONIC WASTE

Africa

REFRIGERATORS CFC PRODUCTS SCRAPPED CARS

Campania

Major illegal waste ship m ent routes fro m Europe (as reported by IMPEL)

Regions where s m all ar m s (related) traffic is particularly developed

Source: co m piled fro m m ultiple sources in UNEP 2006c

380 S EC T I ON D : HUMAN D I MENS I ONS OF ENV I RONMENTA L CHANGE

Growing Problems

More than 300 million tonnes of waste, includ- ing hazardous and other wastes, were generated worldwide in 2000, of which less than 2 per cent was exported. However about 90 per cent of that exported waste was classified as hazardous, with about 30 per cent believed to be persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The principal waste export by volume was lead and its compounds, bound for recycling. Responses to the problem include, among others, the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans- boundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. However, lack of human resources, training and equipment are some of the barriers, which have prevented effective implementation of the Convention. There has also been an inadequate industry response to treat, recycle, re-use and dispose of wastes at source and an inadequate information network and alert systems to assist with the detec- tion of illegal traffic in hazardous wastes. New issues arise quickly, and can have important human health impacts before existing policies can be used, or new policies put in place to ad-

dress them. Examples of such new issues include electronic waste (e-waste), with a high content of hazardous materials, such as heavy metals, which are fuelled by a rapid increase in the consump- tion of personal electronic devices such as mobile phones. A great volume of e-waste is exported to develop- ing countries. More than 90 per cent of the 20- 50 million tonnes of the e-waste generated every year in the world ends up in Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar and Pakistan. Seventy per cent of e-waste collected at recycling units in New Delhi was exported from or dumped by other countries. Recycling electronic goods involves exposure to heavy metals, such as lead, mercury and cadmi- um which can be toxic to humans and ecosystems if they are improperly handled or disposed of.

51 HARMFUL SUBSTANCES AND HAZARDOUS WASTE