In a statement issued by Basel Action Network (BAN), which participated in a recent meeting of G8 nations’ environment ministers, said that the conference “only heightened the concern of developing nations over the real intent of G8 countries."

The meeting’s “objective of facilitating the movement of goods and recyclables coupled with waste policies and trade agreements pushed by some G8 member countries...would move toxic wastes across international boundaries," stated Richard Gutierrez, BAN’s Asia-Pacific Office’s executive director said.

Called the 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) Initiative, the meeting was attended by ten invited developing nations and discussed the issues of climate change, biodiversity and 3Rs – reduce, reuse, recycling.

“As the world experiences its limits to growth, we are now searching for ways to improve efficiency in production and in waste management. When we consider solutions towards resource-efficiency, cross border trade in recyclables, and livelihood, we must not only look into efficiency but also question whether what we are doing is legal, or even moral," explained Gutierrez. “The 3Rs must include a 4th R – responsibility, for manufacturers to eliminate toxins from their products and end planned obsolescence, for consumers to look at their ecological footprint and change their consumption patterns, and for governments to take a strong leadership role in tackling these issues head-on."

In his presentation, Gutierrez also pointed out that the 3Rs must also focus on the development and enforcement of regulations that identify second-hand goods from wastes; prioritization of the first “R" reduction via prevention and minimization of toxic wastes; and ratification of the Basel Ban Amendment, which disallows rich countries from exporting toxic wastes to developing countries for any reason whatsoever.

After the NGO presentation, the environment ministers present at the dialogue spoke up. Brazil noted with keen interest the recommendations put forward by the NGOs, and the US welcomed the concept of a 4th R. The Chairman of the meeting, Minister Ichiro Kamoshita of Japan, thanked the NGOs for their candid and frank assessment of the three environmental issues (being tackled by the ministers at the meeting) and promised to include as much as possible the points raised in the dialogue to the G8 at its upcoming meeting in Toyako, Japan, in July of this year.

“Among the G8 members, Japan is uniquely placed to make a tremendous impact on the 3Rs issue. Not only is the Initiative Japan’s brainchild, but Japan is the center of major global manufacturing, holding the current G8 presidency, and ironically is guilty of pushing toxic waste trade agreements like its Economic Partnership Agreements in Asia," exclaimed Takeshi Yasuma, Chemicals Policy Analyst of the Japanese NGO Citizens Against Chemical Pollution. “Japan and the G8 members can change the 3R Initiative and really turn it into a tool for genuine sustainable development and environmental justice. The G8 has the technical, financial, and human resource to do this. What is lacking is the political will."

The G8 environment ministers are expected to release their report shortly after the three-day meeting. Since the NGOs and other observers were not allowed to attend sensitive segments of the meeting, there is much anticipation on the forthcoming report.