Acceding to the Convention Date:

The overarching objective of the Basel Convention is to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes. Its scope of application covers a wide range of wastes defined as “hazardous wastes” based on their origin and/or composition and their characteristics, as well as two types of wastes defined as “other wastes” - household waste and incinerator ash.

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was adopted on 22 March 1989. It came into force in 1992. The number of parties of the convention till date stands at 170. 

There are certain requirements for compliance with the convention. For example, the national governments that joined the conventions should take necessary measures to implement its articles. This include banning any behavior that contradicts with the convention and administering punishment onto violators. These terms are part of the Omani environmental legislations. 

The Sultanate joined this convention vide the Royal Decree No 119/1994 dated 7/12/1994. The Sultanate has received benefits from the Secretariat of the Convention such as providing technical support, training courses, meeting in addition to receiving reports and guidelines. 

Aims of the Organization

The provisions of the Convention center around the following principal aims: 

• The reduction of hazardous waste generation in terms of size and hazardous and dispose of them at the nearest site to the producer in an environmental safe manner and to reduce their transboundary movement.
• Ensure protection against hazards of hazardous wastes resulting from bad management.
• Control the reception and transport of the hazardous wastes and recording them.
• Avoid illegal discharge of hazardous wastes by the producing countries.