How to Regulate Our Waste-Full World

This policy brief examines the evolution of global hazardous waste regulation, from early marine pollution treaties to the Basel Convention and its Ban Amendment. It highlights the risks of 'toxic colonialism,' the challenges of managing rapidly growing e-waste streams, and the need for proactive governance to protect vulnerable populations during the energy transition.

• Early international efforts to regulate hazardous waste focused on marine environments, starting with the 1972 London Convention, which prohibits the dumping of radioactive wastes and mercury at sea.
• The 1980s saw a rise in 'toxic colonialism,' where developed nations exported hazardous waste to developing countries to avoid higher domestic disposal costs. Examples include the shipment of mercury waste to South Africa and the storage of PCB-containing waste in Koko, Nigeria, which caused severe health issues like paralysis and premature births.
• The Basel Convention established the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure to regulate the transboundary movement of hazardous waste, requiring notification and consent before waste is moved. However, a 'recycling loophole' allowed some brokers to mislabel hazardous waste as 'safe' for recycling to gain entry into developing countries.
• The Ban Amendment, which entered into force in September 2019, prohibits developed countries from exporting hazardous wastes to developing countries. Its impact may be limited because approximately 87% of the global hazardous waste trade occurs between developed nations, and trade between newly industrialized developing countries (such as China, India, and the Philippines) is not restricted by the amendment.
• Electronic waste (e-waste) is the fastest-growing waste stream globally, with volumes expected to double by 2030. In 2019, 53.6 million metric tonnes of e-waste were generated worldwide, but only an estimated 17.4% were collected and recycled.
• Future waste management must become proactive rather than reactive, specifically addressing new waste streams resulting from the energy transition, such as older wind turbines and the increased use of cobalt and lithium.

APA

Allan,, J. (2021). How to Regulate Our Waste-Full World. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/how-regulate-our-waste-full-world

Chicago

Allan,, Jennifer. How to Regulate Our Waste-Full World. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2021. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/how-regulate-our-waste-full-world.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Allan, |first1=Jennifer |title=How to Regulate Our Waste-Full World |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=26 July 2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/how-regulate-our-waste-full-world |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{allan2021how, author = {Allan,, Jennifer}, title = {{How to Regulate Our Waste-Full World}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, month = jul, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/how-regulate-our-waste-full-world}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }