NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #30/NN_1992_30.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/9420

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From: [e-mail] (Rich Winkel)
Subject: NO END TO TOXIC WASTE EXPORTS IN SIGHT
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/** reg.samerica: 295.0 **/
** Topic: IPS:ENVIRONMENT-Toxic waste shipmen **
** Written  9:25 pm  Dec 15, 1992 by jbinder in cdp:reg.samerica **
From: James Binder <jbinder>
Subject: IPS:ENVIRONMENT-Toxic waste shipments

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: ENVIRONMENT: END OF TOXIC WASTE SHIPMENTS IS NOT IN SIGHT

an inter press service feature

by anahi rama

piriapolis, uruguay, dec 5 (ips) -- debates at a just-ended
conference of signatories of the basle convention on the
elimination of toxic wastes indicate that it will take a long
time before industrialized countries stop shipping toxic
materials to other nations.

the majority of the developing countries wanted a total ban on
the cross-border transport of toxic waste, but they were unable
to make their wishes prevail over those of the industrialized
nations, which generate 90 percent of these substances and do not
seem prepared to stop ''exporting'' them.

the industrialized countries contended that, to stop exporting
their toxic waste, they would need to spend huge sums of money to
reconvert their industries. they said they would also require
time to do so, but they did not specify any time-frame.

the nov. 30 - dec. 4 meeting was the first held by the
signatories of the basle treaty since its signing in 1989.
thirty-two countries participated in the encounter -- held in
piriapolis, 100 km east of montevideo--, while the united states
and japan attended as observers.

officials of the un environment programme (unep) warned that
the situation could worsen as third world countries develop their
economies and begin to generate toxic wastes as well.

unep director mustafa tolba said that, since the united
states, japan and the european community (ec) have refused to
stop the traffic in toxic waste, the alternative left to
developing countries was to pass laws banning such shipments to
their countries.

he said he did not know why they had not already done so and
quipped that it seemed that they always had to wait for others to
do things for them.

tolba also said it was necessary for many more countries to
sign the basle treaty, since the waste problem regarded all
nations.

for the sake of a consensus, the meeting produced a final
document which limiting itself to ''asking'' the industrialized
countries to prohibit all cross-border movements of dangerous
waste and allow the recycling of some of them.

a technical group was created to draw up guidelines for
evaluating, identifying and managing substances considered
recyclable. (more)
----


however, the document left open the possibility of
transporting waste from one country to another, as long as its
handling ''is environmentally rational.''

the exporting country would be responsible for any accident
which occured during the transport and for recycling, since the
less industrialized countries have admitted that they lack the
technology needed for this.

but brazil's marijane lisboa, who represented her country's
chapter of ''greenpeace'', an international ecological
organization, pointed out that recycling is only ''a cosmetic
meant to disguise the export of waste, because we know that the
rich countries do not have the appropriate technology to do it.''

mexican delegate amparo villamil told ips that ''the ideal
thing would be to move to stop producing waste but, for now, this
does not seem possible.''

despite its severe pollution problems, mexico authorizes the
entry into its territory of seven toxic substances, but says it
has the means to recycle them.

economic development in the north and the ambiguity of the
industrialized countries on the question of toxic waste disposal
, both at this week's conference and at the un conference on
environment and development, held in rio de janeiro in june,
expose the planet to a future marked by excessive toxic garbage,
environmentalists feel.

this can change if developing countries ban the importation of
these substances but, according to ''greenpeace'', as long as
there are one or two countries who do not impose the ban, ''toxic
terrorism'' would be directed towards them.

u.s. greenpeace delegate kevin stears said that, at the
piriapolis meeting, the continued dumping of toxic residue from
the rich countries in the poor ones was legitimized.

he said the conference was therefore a total failure.

this year alone 72,000 tonnes of toxic waste were sent ''from
the first to the third world,'' he said, adding that by the time
the next evaluation of the basle convention is held, three years'
from now, a great deal of garbage would have been transported
from one country to another.

stears also said that at conferences of this nature, economic
pressures prevail and countries are incapable of resolving
anything concrete, since they protect their industries above the
health of their people.

research by greenpeace shows that waste given off by the
processing of substances like lead, nickel, aluminium or zinc
causes, whether directly or indirectly, illnesses such as cancer,
poisoning, anemia and brain damage. (end/ips/trd/so/ar-in/kb/92)
----


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