HC Deb 29 November 1988 vol 142 cc201-2W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in recent negotiations towards a treaty to govern international trade in hazardous industrial waste in respect of(a) notification procedures in advance of shipments and (b) whether tacit or explicit acceptance is likely to be adopted; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Notification procedures under the global convention on the transboundary movement of hazardous waste currently being negotiated under the auspices of UNEP are likely to require prior notification by the exporter and explicit acceptance by the importing country before the shipment commences. We regard this as an essential element of effective control and is in line with the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in recent negotiations towards a treaty to govern international trade in hazardous industrial waste with respect to controls on exporters; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

There is broad agreement in the negotiations that exports of hazardous waste should be prohibited unless there is prior notification by exporters and authorisation by the importing country.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in recent negotiations towards a treaty to govern international trade in hazardous industrial waste with respect to the definitions of(a) hazardous waste, (b) ecotoxic, (c) concentration strengths and (d) substance conditions; if such definitions are likely to be recognised internationally rather than depend on existing national definitions; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

These matters are still under discussion. Steady progress has been made towards internationally accepted common definitions.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in recent negotiations towards a treaty to govern international trade in hazardous industrial waste in respect of the passage of waste through territory other than the importing state in transit; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

It has been generally accepted in the negotiations that the convention should require prior notification of any state through whose land area hazardous wastes are to be moved.