Tenth Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Basel Convention

The tenth meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG-10) of the Basel Convention on Controlling transboundary movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was held from 30^th May to June 2^nd, 2016 at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. 

As a Party to the Basel Convention, Trinidad and Tobago participated and was represented by Ms. Keima Gardiner, Environmental Engineering Specialist of the Environmental Policy and Planning Division. Also in attendance were Dominica who represented the CARICOM Sub-Region along with Trinidad and Tobago as well as observers from Non-Party states, representatives from Basel Convention Regional Centres, academia, industry, IGOs and NGOs. 

Ms. Gardiner (second from the left) participating at the OEWG-10 in Kenya on May 20th—June 2nd, 2016.

Matters discussed included:

• technical guidelines on environmentally sound management of waste
• guidelines for the national reporting on e-waste, used lead batteries and waste oil
• the Cartagena Declaration  with emphasis on technology transfer as proffered by the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC)
• the proposed partnership on household waste, and the developments with the World Customs Organisation (*This was important as Trinidad and Tobago has embarked on an exercise to establish an Import and Export Licensing System)

The proceedings at OEWG-10 was a useful platform to monitor the progress of implementation of the decisions adopted at the twelfth meeting of the COP (COP-12), while setting the framework for prioritizing action in preparation for the upcoming COP. As an active participant at this forum, Trinidad and Tobago is in an advantageous position to build on the momentum created and have more profound engagements at upcoming COP in 2017.