STOP TOXIC WASTE TRADE. Environmental health and justice activists satirized the famed flag-raising during the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. In this parody of the celebrated Iwo Jima scene held in front of the Japanese Embassy in Manila, activists dressed as Japanese bureaucrats and merchants raised the flag with the yen sign in a mountain of trash to demonstrate Tokyo’s scheme to set up waste colonies in Asia through bilateral trade and investment treaties. Photo by Gigie Cruz (GAIA)

During the meeting some participants raised strong concerns over the prospect of toxic waste imports into their borders. Developing countries in particular acknowledged the difficulty they face in monitoring their ports against toxic waste imports, and the lack resources needed to enforce customs and environmental laws. The meeting was made aware of how trade agreements might be in conflict with the objectives of SAICM[1] and with the Basel Convention.

“The Japanese Free Trade Agreements with the Philippines and Thailand are at the heart of Asia’s concern over toxic waste dumping,” said Richard Gutierrez, Director of the Basel Action Network – Asia Pacific (BANAP). “These trade agreements clearly show Japan’s version of international chemicals management - sending Japanese toxins to its poorer neighbors. It keeps Japan safe and clean while poisoning the rest of Asia.”

As a result of the collective concern of the Conference over the transfer of toxins, a joint statement submitted by the Philippines, Indonesia, Nepal, Nauru, Oman, and Iraq was noted at the regional meeting, which affirmed that bilateral or multilateral agreements with components related to wastes should be consistent with the Basel Convention, other multilateral agreements and the SAICM objectives. The joint statement also mentions that:

1. Preventing harms to human health and the environment from wastes containing harmful substances or wastes that lead to the formation of harmful substances is an important element of achieving the 2020 goal of SAICM.
   
   
2. Developing countries and countries with economies in transition striving to achieve SAICM objectives should not be burdened with the transboundary movement of harmful wastes into their countries.
   
   
3. The countries affirm their commitment to Principle 14 of Agenda 21[2], which calls for States to discourage and prevent the transfer of substances that cause severe environmental degradation to other States.

“We welcome the renewed commitment by governments in Asia-Pacific to curb waste dumping in line with the SAICM’s objective of preventing international traffic in toxic, hazardous, banned, and severely restricted chemicals and wastes,” stated Manny Calonzo, Co-coordinator of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA). “This puts Japan and other developed countries on notice that developing countries in Asia-Pacific are determined to protect their sovereign right to a clean and safe environment.”

End

For More Information:

Attached, “Statement on SAICM and Transboundary Movement of Wastes Submitted by Indonesia, Nauru, Nepal, Oman, and the Philippines”.

Contact:

Richard Gutierrez, Basel Action Network Asia Pacific in Manila at: Tel: +63.0917.506.7724;
e-mail: rgutierrez@ban.org.

Manny Calonzo, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives in Manila at: Tel. +63.02.436.4733;
e-mail: mannyc@no-burn.org.

[1] SAICM’s objective is to achieve the sound management of chemicals throughout their lifecycle so that by 2020 chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment.

[2] Agenda 21, adopted in June 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment.