Summary
The Eleventh Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (OEWG11) resumed on Tuesday, 4 September 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland. The OEWG met in plenary in the morning, and in contact groups (CGs) for the rest of the day.In the morning session, the Co-Chairs of the Expert Working Group (EWG) on Review of Annexes then briefed delegates on the EWG's work to date and the proposal by Canada and Chile on a way forward. Work on this issue was referred to the Legal Matters CG for more detailed discussion. The plenary then turned to marine plastic litter and microplastics. Delegates:
- held an initial exchange of views on the issue, its consequences, and national actions to reduce the impacts of these wastes;
- considered a report on possible options available under the Convention to further address the issue; and
- discussed Norwegian proposals for a new partnership on plastic wastes and for amendments to annexes in order to reclassify solid plastic waste.
During lunch there was an exhibition on marine litter, and the Strategic Matters and Technical Matters CGs met. The Strategic Matters CG discussed: the draft practical manual for stakeholders to ensure that notifications of transboundary movements (TBM) meet environmentally sound management (ESM) requirements; and the draft practical manual on extended producer responsibility and on financing systems for ESM. The Technical Matters CG finalized the draft technical guidelines (TGs) on incineration on land and on specially engineered landfill. They also finalized the draft TGs on ESM of wastes consisting of, containing, or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants (POPs), as well as exchanged views on proposed numerical values for low-POPs content.The afternoon was devoted to a resumed Technical Matters CG session to work on a draft decision on marine plastic litter and microplastics, including a possible partnership on plastic wastes. Afterward the Legal Matters CG convened briefly to consider the Canadian/Chilean proposal on review of Convention annexes.In the evening, a side event showed the film, “Toxic Playground,” and updated participants on the entry into force of the Basel Ban Amendment. An invitation-only high-level event was held at the Palais de Nations on marine plastic litter and microplastics.
IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, provided daily web updates from OEWG11 and will publish a summary and analysis report which is available in HTML and PDF.
