Control on Import and Export of Waste
The Control Scheme
The Basel Convention
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (the Basel Convention) adopted in 1989, aims to protect public health and the environment by regulating the transboundary movement of hazardous waste and other controlled waste. It mandates that shipments of controlled waste must not commence, unless all concerned states (including all states that the shipment route passes through) have been notified and given their consent in advance. The Basel Convention requires Parties to implement domestic control to prevent illegal waste traffic through local enforcement measures. It also promotes cooperation amongst Parties to achieve environmentally sound management of waste and prevention of illegal traffic.
China is a party to the Basel Convention. The Convention is applicable to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ("Hong Kong SAR"). The Environmental Protection Department ("EPD") is designated as the competent authority for Hong Kong SAR under the Convention. The EPD is responsible for enforcing the control on import, export and re-export of controlled waste in the Hong Kong SAR.
