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The presence of a different number of barrels apparently containing toxic wastes was made public by the Paraguayan government during the last weeks. These findings together with the statements made by a former officer of the Paraguayan Embassy in Germany, have pointed Germany as the origin of the wastes. "After researching wastes exports to Latin America in 1991 we identified at least three projects to export toxic waste from Germany to Paraguay"(1), said Andreas Bernstorff, Toxic Trade Campaigner from Greenpeace Germany. "However, we can't prove that these or other schemes have finally succeeded. We still hope that the report published by Greenpeace in 1991 had helped to stop those shipments."

Greenpeace has researched and stopped several toxic wastes shipments from the industrialised countries to the developing world. "Latin America has been one of the most frequent destinations for the wastes produced in the industrialised countries, so we don't rule out the possibility that the wastes apparently found now in Paraguay have been imported from Europe; however with the data we have to date, we can't prove it", said Marcelo Furtado, Toxic Trade Team Leader for Greenpeace International.

In 1995, the Parties to the Basel Convention amended its text to introduce a ban on the exports of wastes from OECD (2) countries to non OECD. This Ban, known as the Basel Ban, needs to be ratified by its members to come into force. "We hope that Paraguay and other Latinamerican countries that are members of the Basel Covention ratify the amendment", said Furtado. "This way they will be helping to put an end to this trade and the developing world will have the chance to stop being the waste dumping ground for the industrialised nations.

Next February, Latin American countries that are members of the Basel Convention will meet in Kuching, Malasia, with delegations of over 100 countries to take the final decisions on the Basel Ban implementation process.

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Notes:

1) The above mentioned projects to export waste from Germany and the US to Paraguay between 1989-1991 have been documented by Greenpeace and published in 1991 in a report by Greenpeace Germany ("Einige Muellexportprojekte aus Europa und den USA nach Lateinamerika 1988-1991", written by Ruben Nicotera and Andreas Bernstorff ).

(2) OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

More information: Andreas Bernstorff or Marcelo Furtado, until January 16th, tel: +595 21 444 236 o 445 979. Jan 17th onwards, Marcelo Furtado, tel +55 11 30612934

Andreas Bernstorff, tel +49 172 4533770