Workshop on Combating Illegal Hazardous Waste Trade Through Seaports
A Seaport Environmental Security Network Capacity Building Workshop

Accra, Ghana - 22-23 June 2009

More than 70 participants from African countries, Europe, Asia and America joined the Seaport Environmental Security Network in Accra, Ghana, for a two-day workshop on combating illegal hazardous waste trade through seaports. Important elements of the workshop included 1) a visit to Tema port to witness and reflect on practical administrative, technical and physical control of imported waste in containers moving through seaports and 2) discussion on ways to stimulate effective inter-agency collaboration on the national level.

Follow-up & Outcomes: Please see the press statement.

Workshop Agenda & Presentations

Draft Workshop Agenda Welcoming Session Opening Remarks Mr. Gerard Wolters, Inspector-General for International Enforcement Cooperation, VROM, The Netherlands and Co-chair, Executive Planning Committee, International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Panel 1: Key Elements of Port Controls Key Elements of Port Controls Ton Post, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment (VROM), the Netherlands Waste Movement Inspections in the Ports of Bremen Jürgen Braun, Chief Inspector, Police Department Bremen, Germany Panel 2: Pilot Inspections and Exchange Programs Pilot Inspections and Exchange Programs Huib van Westen, VROM Intelligence and Investigation Service, the Netherlands Environmental Exchange Program in Europe Isaiah N. Kyengo, Coast Province Director of Environment, National Environment Management Authority, Kenya Panel 3: Partnerships to Respond to Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste RILO A/P WCO and Operation Demeter Fion Li, Regional Intelligence Liaison Office Asia/Pacific The UNODC-WCO Container Control Programme Nicole Maric, Container Control Programme, UN Office on Drugs and Crime Michel Seck, Basel Convention Regional Centre, Senegal Controlling International Shipments of Waste: Experiences of the European IMPEL-TFS Network Henk Ruessink, VROM, The Netherlands Working Session 2: Inter-ministerial Cooperation for Effective Respond to Hazardous Waste at Seaports Negotiating Customs and Environmental Cooperation: Elements of an Inter-Ministerial Agreement Debbie Kopsick, United States Environmental Protection Agency Negotiating Customs and Environmental Cooperation: The Negotiation Process Debbie Kopsick, United States Environmental Protection Agency Panels 4 & 5: Country Case Examples on Seaport Compliance and Enforcement Benin: Controlling Hazardous Waste in Cotonou Port - What is Needed? Maman-Sani ISSA, Environmental Department, Cotonou Port Authority, Benin Thailand: Hazardous Waste Management and Illegal Dumping - “How to cooperate with the Customs” Piyanee Thangtongtawi, Ph.D., Competent Authority for Basel Convention, Ministry of Industry, Government of Thailand Panel 6: Activities of the Seaport Environmental Security Network 1. Networking, Information, & Intelligence Exchange Cooperation between RILO A/P and VROM Ms Fion LI, Intelligence Analyst, RILO A/P VROM Intelligence and Investigation Service Huib van Westen, VROM Intelligence and Investigation Service, the Netherlands 2. International & National Operational Enforcement Collaboration Improving Networking Among Countries Marc De Strooper, Technical Controller, DG Environment, Federal Environmental Inspection, Belgium 3. Capacity Building Online Training Resources for Environmental Enforcement Officials Debbie Kopsick, United States Environmental Protection Agency Capacity Building to Prevent Dumping of Wastes in Africa: the Example of Cote d'Ivoire and The Green Customs Initiative Francesca Cenni, Basel Convention Secretariat

The workshop was hosted by INECE, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Netherlands’ Ministry for Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana Customs Excise and Preventive Service, and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.

Please contact SESN project officer Danielle Grabiel at INECE Secretariat (dgrabiel at inece.org) with any questions.