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The Secretariat of the Basel Convention has launched this short video about waste management matters.

A historic event! For the first time in its existence IMPEL TFS, together with the Secretariat of the Basel Convention and the Ghanaian Environmental Protection Agency, hosted a three-day workshop outside Europe. In Accra, Ghana, from November 24th until November 26th a beginning was made with a training programme for enforcement officers from five African countries and establishing contact between European and African countries at operational enforcement level.

During this first meeting, representatives of the two continents had the chance to meet and to learn about each other’s work through presentations, working groups and plenary discussions. The Europeans gave explanations on their legislation and enforcement practices. The African participants presented their legislative framework, the state of affairs regarding the E-waste issue and the responsibilities of the various policy making and enforcement agencies.

Aim of the programme
Main objective of the training programme is to get more control on the export of (electronic) waste from Europe to Africa. The secretariat of the Basel Convention (SBC), based in Geneva, has launched the multi-annual “E-wastes Africa project”. Within this project, the enforcement component will be carried out by IMPEL TFS.

Participants
Representatives from Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Benin and Ghana participated in the programme as well as reprentatives from Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom. Besides the respective environmental agencies, also port authorities and Customs were represented.  A special role was taken by Mrs. Francesca Cenni of SBC Geneva and the three directors of the Basel Convention Regional (Coordination) Centres of Egypt, Senegal and Nigeria. From IMPEL TFS side, the project team was led by mr. Joseph Domfeh from Norway.
On the first day of the seminar, opening speeches were delivered by mr. Jonathan Allotey, director of EPA Ghana and by mr. Gerard Wolters, Chair of the Board.

 Train the trainer
Most attention was paid to identifying the training needs of the five African countries. In the coming years, a series of courses will be offered, starting in Europe. By using the ‘train the trainer model’, the project team hopes that the results of the training programme will be dissiminated as widely as possible.

Port visit
During the seminar, a short trip to the main seaport of Ghana, the port of Tema, was made. The port site gave a clear impression of the difficulties that enforcers face. Clearance of containers loaded with imported second-hand products, like mattresses, cars, pots and pans, TVs, refrigerators or other electronics automatically lead to the main question: what is to be considered acceptable second hand product and what is waste?

Network for Africa
Besides offering training, IMPEL TFS invited all participating countries to establish a vital network of contact persons and enforcers. During the workshop, many people have become acquainted with each other. For this reason, and for the exchange of very much information in an open and informal atmosphere, the workshop marked a succesfull and promising start of a new field of cooperation.

From 12 to 15 October 2009 the MEA-Regional Enforcement Network Workshop was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The focus of this meeting was on illegal trade in CFCs and illegal (hazardous) waste shipments between Asia and Europe. The organization was in the hands of UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme) in cooperation with Swedish governmental bodies. More than 20 Asian countries were represented by organizations like (environmental) ministries, enforcement authorities, customs and other organizations like INTERPOL, Basel Convention Regional Centers, World Customs Organization, US EPA and NGO’s.

The Dutch VROM-Inspectorate was represented by Gerard Wolters, Huib van Westen and Jenny van Houten. They have presented the work of the networks INECE and IMPEL-TFS and the VROM-Inspectorate and expressed the wish for the improvement of practical enforcement collaboration with Asia. Next to the existing contacts of Dutch authorities with India and China, new contacts have been made with countries that are important for TFS like Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The meeting aimed for a better collaboration of authorities to combat environmental crime. UNEP Asia Pacific is keen to start a collaboration with IMPEL-TFS to improve the control of the large volumes of waste materials that are shipped from Europe to Asia. In 2010, IMPEL-TFS will start a project led by the Irish authorities that focuses on a better collaboration of the European enforcement officers with Asia. During the conference the VROM-Inspectorate exchanged information on running TFS-cases in the Netherlands and Europe. As illegal trends from Europe to Asia were presented the illegal exports of plastic waste and E-waste.
Further improved their contacts with the Indian authorities. In February 2010 there will be an expert meeting in the Netherlands with the Indian authorities on the field of transboundary movements of waste. For more information about the conference or the expert meeting please contact Jenny van Houten or Huib van Westen.

At 16 and 17 May 2009 the Basel Convention Secretariat in Geneva launched their e-waste Africa project that will run from 2009 until 2011. IMPEL attended this meeting as it is a member of the Advisory Board. Together with several authorities from Africa and Europe and other relevant stakeholders, IMPEL will play an important role in this project. The project is sponsored by the European Commission, Norway, the United Kingdom and NVMP, the organization responsible for e-waste management in the Netherlands.

It covers four components:
1. A study of the flows of second hand equipment and e-waste (EEE and WEEE) from Europe to Africa. The focus will be on two European ports (Belgium and the Netherlands) and five African countries;
2. A needs assessment for e-waste management in African countries;
3. A feasibility (and socio-economic) study for e-waste management in African countries (Nigeria and Ghana);
4. The improvement of enforcement and control of shipments of EEE and WEEE (IMPEL and African participants)

The first meeting was very inspiring and motivating. Eight African countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Benin, Egypt and Jordan) were represented. Furthermore, Norway, IMPEL-TFS, the Netherlands and several European organizations participated in this first project meeting.

The project is implemented by the Basel Convention Coordinating Centre based in Nigeria and the Basel Convention Regional centre based in Senegal. Component 1 and 3 will be carried out by the Öko-Institut (Germany), component 2 by EMPA (Switzerland) and component 4 in close cooperation with IMPEL. IMPEL will carry out several activities to improve the control on waste shipments from Europe to Africa, co-organise training workshops in five African countries and host two workshops in Europe for African enforcement officials.

E-waste Africa Project Leaflet

On 15 April 2009 Commission Regulation (EC) No 308/2009 amending Annexes IIIA and VI to the waste shipment regulation, has been adopted. The Regulation includes a new annex IIIA, which contains mixtures of wastes listed in annex III. Furthermore it revises the form in annex VI, by using ‘Tonnes’ instead of ‘kg’ or ‘litre’ to indicate the quantity of waste, as decided during the eight meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention. The new Commission Regulation has been published in the Official Journal L97 on 16.04.2009.

As part of the Netherlands ‘Africa project’, a delegation of the VROM Inspectorate went to Accra (Ghana) from March 30th to April 3rd 2009, to further discuss, adapt and eventually sign the “Arrangement on the Joint Work Programme with the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana (EPA), Ghana Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA). The main goal was to agree on the collaboration between the Netherlands VROM-Inspectorate and the Ghanaian authorities involved. Before the official signing session, the delegation made a Courtesy call to the Honorable Minister for Environment, Science and Technology Ms Sherry Aytittey. During this Courtesy call Mr Wolters from the VROM Inspectorate explained the visit was meant to establish a mutual understanding between the Dutch and Ghana on how best both countries could work to reduce the menace of electronic wastes.

“We need to cooperate so we know what is acceptable for Ghana and to monitor the shipment of such streams from Europe. We need information about the Ghanaian legal requirements so to set up a mutually beneficial arrangement to tackle the issue first on a bilateral level and later expand it to cover other countries in Europe”, the Dutch Inspector General said.

Ms Ayittey said the situation of e-waste dumping has become a major concern for Ghana and Africa, noting that all kinds of products were being brought into the country in the name of charity from Non-governmental Organisations. She underlined the need to strengthen the various security services at all entry points mentioning specifically the Custom Excise and Preventive Service, the Police, the Clearing Agents and Immigration officials who ought to be sensitized on the matter to effectively wage the war against dumping.

The Minister expressed her happiness about the Netherlands’ interest in the fight against e-waste and dumping and said the government of Ghana was very committed to stemming the menace and therefore welcoming every positive move to tackle it.

Mr Jonathan Allotey, the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that as part of the collaboration with the Netherlands, the Agency will soon conduct an inventory of all e-waste in the country.
Furthermore the agreement includes activities as setting up a structure for information exchange, the conduction of a feasibility study for recycling possibilities of e-waste in Ghana and the organisation of a visit by Ghanaian officials to the Netherlands.

On April 2nd the arrangement was signed by Mr N.P. Galley, Ag Director General of GHPA, Mr J.A. Allotey, Executive Director of EPA, Mr G.J.R. Wolters of the VROM Inspectorate and Mr E.N. Doku, Commissioner of CEPS.

Mr. Anno Loonstra
VROM Inspectorate, (the Netherlands)
@: anno.loonstra@minvrom.nl

The Asian Network for Prevention of Illegal Transboundary Movement of Wastes has published on their website an overview of imports controls of second hand electrical and electronic goods. Countries that have provided information are: Cambodia, China, China (Hong Kong SAR), Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Click here for the link.

Following the first exploratory visit in August last year, a second visit by the Dutch Environmental Inspectorate took place from 1 till 6 March 2009 to India. Meetings with the three most relevant Indian authorities in relation to waste shipment regulations in New-Delhi were set up. Existing contacts were strengthened with the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) and furhter agreements were made about exchange of knowledge and information.

Also with the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) in New-Delhi information was shared; for example about training programmes. During this meeting our request to visit the Customs authorities in Mumbai at Indians biggest container terminal at JNPT (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust), also called Nhava Sheva, was granted.

And thirdly a meeting took place with the Department of Revenue and Intelligence (DRI) in New-Delhi. This authority showed a very cooperative attitude since our first visit, last August. The exchange of information with DRI is developing and even concerns case detailed information.

After, the Dutch delegation went to Mumbai and met with the Chief Commissioner of Customs at the port of JNPT. This port handles approximately 60% of the total container traffic in India. Another 20% is being handled at the port of Chennai (Madras), and the rest is divided over the other main ports. Insight was given about the tasks and responsibilities of the Custom Officers and the way they carry out transport checks. At JNPT two X-ray containers cans are available and more scans are foreseen to be operational next year in each main port. As a result of these scans some illegal import shipments of waste oil and batteries were detected.

Further on in Mumbai a meeting took place with the Chairman of the Maharastra State Pollution Control Board (MPCB). This authority, as a part of the environmental government, and has the competence to decide how to deal with illegal shipments of waste.

And finally we visited a recycling facility in the outskirts of Mumbai, where all types of waste were coming in for which no common recycling is available; for example certain laminates and tooth paste tubes. The waste is shredded and pressed under the use of heat and finally transformed into plates and sheets for various applications.

The VROM Inspectorate emphasized during their meetings with the various authorities that in the European Union certain take-back obligations and return procedures are in place in case illegal shipments originating from the European Union are detected.

The VROM visit to India may be quoted as another step to a successful involvement of non-OECD countries, widening the network of contact points, which are essential for an adequate control on the transboundery traffic of waste.

Johan Huijbregts
IMPEL TFS National Contact Point (Netherlands)
@: johan.huijbregts@minvrom.nl

Every year, the IMPEL TFS Network organizes a conference. The upcoming conference will be hold from 18 till 20 March 2009 in Östersund (Sweden).

The event creates the opportunity for inspectors, enforcers and other officials involved in controlling transfrontier shipments of waste, to meet, exchange experiences, share information and discuss cases and developments. Participants are not just from European Member States, but also from countries like China and Thailand. International organizations, such  as the World Customs Organization, the European Commission and the Secretariat of the Basel Convention, will also take part.

The IMPEL TFS Steering Committee,  together with the host country and the IMPEL TFS Secretariat, is currently preparing the programme that will be of interest for a variety of authorities (environmental inspectorates and police and customs officers). This years conference will focus on establishing further collaboration with non-oecd countries and the role of public prosecutors.

The meeting report will be published on the website once it has been adopted by the IMPEL General Assembly in June 2009. Reports from previous conferences are available here.

Dear readers,
Welcome to the new website of the IMPEL TFS network!

Clearly we continue to be a part of the IMPEL network and have our own web page there. Nevertheless we felt the need for a more interactive website.

In this way we can keep you more up-to-date about our activities and projects, but also inform you about news and developments in relation to transfrontier shipments of waste.

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to contact the IMPEL TFS Secretariat.