Controlling Transboundary Movement of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment by Developing International Standards

Illegal transboundary movement of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has resulted in significant environmental pollution in both developing and developed countries. Applicable laws and regulations on the import and management of used electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE) and WEEE in 11 selected Asian countries or regions were investigated and assessed within the framework of the Basel Convention Partnership on the Environmental Sound Management of Electrical and Electronic Wastes for the Asia Pacific Region, to provide guidance on UEEE and WEEE identification, and to help control environmentally unsound treatment practices at the regional level. Although in principle, all participating countries or regions prohibit the import of WEEE, several countries or regions do allow the import of UEEE for the purposes of reuse and/or recycling. Criteria for distinguishing new EEE from UEEE, WEEE from UEEE, and hazardous WEEE from nonhazardous WEEE, in each country or region were also assessed. It was found that most of the countries or regions have no specific identification rules or standards governing WEEE and UEEE for the purpose of controlling import. Development of consistent standards regarding these issues could help to curtail the illegal transboundary movement and processing of such waste.