Japan's Activities for the Basel Convention

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Waste specific measures

Control Measures of Plastic Wastes

The amendments to the Annexes to the Basel Convention in relation to plastic wastes was adopted at the fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP14) to the Basel Convention held on 29 April to 10 May 2019. After the amended Annexes becomes effective on 1 January 2021, Prior Informed Consent (PIC) is required when exporting plastic wastes that are subject to control of the Basel Convention.

Plastic wastes that are subject to control include hazardous plastic wastes in Annex VIII and non-hazardous plastic wastes requiring special consideration in Annex II. Ministry of the Environment, Japan developed “the Criteria for distinguishing plastic wastes subject to control under the Japanese Basel Act from other wastes “ in order to enable the appropriate determination of whether or not the export of these plastic wastes is to be regulated under the relevant Act.

Control Measures of E-wastes

Taking into account the reality where used electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE) unsuitable for direct reuse in practice are disguised as second-hand goods and exported, causing adverse impacts on human health and the environment in the State of import, “the Japanese Government established “the Criteria for Distinguishing UEEE as Secondhand Goods as Its Exportation” in 2013 and they have been enforced since April, 2014 to promote the proper implementation of the Japanese Basel Law. The key criteria are listed below.

While it is unnecessary to obtain export approval based on the Japanese Basel Law when UEEE is to be exported for the purpose of direct re-use, an exporter herself must prove that such approval is not required. These criteria enable the objective judgement that the purpose of the planned export is for direct reuse and make it easier for an exporter to prove the purpose of export.

Export and Import of Hazardous Wastes for the Purpose of Testing and Analysis

Prior to the introduction of Japanese technologies for promoting the environmentally sound management (ESM) of hazardous wastes to other countries, the feasibility study is required in advance. For study, importation of small quantities of the hazardous wastes as samples for testing and analysis is required as well. For this purpose, the normal import approval procedure requiring lengthy time sometimes posed a problem in the past.

Simplification of the export and import of small quantities of hazardous wastes for the purpose of testing and analysis is believed to contribute to the advancement of Japan’s waste management technologies, making a further contribution to tackling global environmental problems. For this reason, the Government of Japan amended the Basel Law in 2017 and simplified procedures for import/export of hazardous wastes for the purpose of testing and analysis. For instance, import of wastes up to 25 kg for such purpose is exempted from the regulation. (*However, for export and import of PCBs (Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls), the procedures defined under the Japanese Basel Law is still required.)