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BASEL SÖZLEŞMESİ THE BASEL CONVENTION

Preamble
Recognizing also the increasing desire for the prohibition of transboundary movements of hazar-
dous wastes and their disposal in other States, especially developing countries,
The Parties to this Convention, Convinced that hazardous wastes and other wastes should, as far as is compatible with environ-
mentally sound and efficient management, be disposed of in the State where they were generated,
Aware of the risk of damage to human health and the environment caused by hazardous wastes
and other wastes and the transboundary movement thereof,
Aware also that transboundary movements of such wastes from the State of their generation to
any other State should be permitted only when conducted under conditions which do not endan-
Mindful of the growing threat to human health and the environment posed by the increased ge- ger human health and the environment, and under conditions in conformity with the provisions
neration and complexity, and transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and other wastes,
of this Convention,
Mindful also that the most effective way of protecting human health and the environment from Considering that enhanced control of transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and other
the dangers posed by such wastes is the wastes will act as an incentive for their environmentally sound management and for the reduction
of the volume of such transboundary movement,
1 The present text incorporates amendments to the Convention adopted subsequent to its entry
into force and that are in force as at 27 May 2014. Only the text of the Convention as kept in the Convinced that States should take measures for the proper exchange of information on and cont-
custody of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in his capacity as Depositary constitutes rol of the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and other wastes from and to those
the authentic version of the Convention, as modified by any amendments and/or corrections the- States,
reto. This publication is issued for information purposes only.
Noting that a number of international and regional agreements have addressed the issue of prote-
2 The Conference of the Parties adopted Decision III/1 at its third meeting to amend the Conven- ction and preservation of the environment with regard to the transit of dangerous goods,
tion by adding, inter alia, a new preambular paragraph 7 bis. The amendment is not yet in force.
The relevant part of Decision III/1 provides as follows: Taking into account the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environ-
ment (Stockholm, 1972), the Cairo Guidelines and Principles for the Environmentally Sound Ma-
nagement of Hazardous Wastes adopted by the Governing Council of the United Nations Envi-
3. Decides to adopt the following amendment to the Convention: ‘Insert new preambular parag- ronment Programme (UNEP) by decision 14/30 of 17 June 1987, the Recommendations of the
raph 7 bis: United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (formulated in 1957
Recognizing that transboundary movements of hazardous wastes, especially to developing count- and updated biennially), relevant recommendations, declarations, instruments and regulations
ries, have a high risk of not constituting an environmentally sound management of hazardous adopted within the United Nations system and the work and studies done within other internati-
wastes as required by this Convention;
onal and regional organizations,
Reduction of their generation to a minimum in terms of quantity and/or hazard potential,
Mindful of the spirit, principles, aims and functions of the World Charter for Nature adopted by
the General Assembly of the United Nations at its thirty-seventh session (1982) as the rule of
Convinced that States should take necessary measures to ensure that the management of hazar- ethics in respect of the protection of the human environment and the conservation of natural
dous wastes and other wastes including their transboundary movement and disposal is consistent
with the protection of human health and the environment whatever the place of disposal, resources,
Affirming that States are responsible for the fulfilment of their international obligations concer-
Noting that States should ensure that the generator should carry out duties with regard to the ning the protection of human health and protection and preservation of the environment, and are
transport and disposal of hazardous wastes and other wastes in a manner that is consistent with liable in accordance with international law,
the protection of the environment, whatever the place of disposal,

Fully recognizing that any State has the sovereign right to ban the entry or disposal of foreign
hazardous wastes and other wastes in its territory,

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