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; 2) country and region-specific reports on operational approaches to and results of inspection activities; 3) supportive programs of international organizations; and 4) discussion on ways to stimulate effective inter-agency collaboration on the national level.
For an initial report on the outcomes of the workshop, please see the press statement. Additional information and meeting documents will be posted here.
Previous News and Announcements
Introduction
The Seaport Environmental Security Network (SESN) consists of authorities involved in
the monitoring and control of cross-border movements of waste shipped
through ports. The focus will initially be on hazardous waste
and recyclables, but could eventually be expanded to encompass other
dangerous and regulated good and commodities.
The purpose of the Seaport Network is to build capacity, raise
awareness and facilitate international enforcement collaboration among
government officials on ways to detect and stop illegal and dangerous
shipments of environmentally-regulated goods. More
specifically, the aims include:
- Establishing an operational network of contacts
involved in the inspection of transboundary movements of waste
hazardous through ports
- Raising awareness of illegal movements of
hazardous waste, their environmental risks and the need to act against
them
- Facilitating collaboration and quick (informal)
information sharing between the participants to deter and detect
illegal movements of hazardous waste
- Developing a toolkit with practical means to
support the inspectors and enforcers and to improve the efficiency of
the activities
- Building capacity for inspections and
enforcement actions
Background
The globalization of trade has raised new concerns about the illegal
and improper transnational shipments of environmentally sensitive
commodities. Difficulties in performing inspections, tracking
waste shipments, sharing information between government agencies and
collaborating internationally leads to a failure to detect, deter and
prevent the illegal transboundary movements of hazardous waste. The
Seaport Network will create mechanisms to increase awareness of common
problems, detect and prevent non-compliance, and improve operational
enforcement cooperation between countries.
Conferences
At the 8th INECE conference in April 2008, a second Seaport network
workshop was held. 
Participants discussed recruiting participants,
identifying strategic ports, launching a webpage, gathering information
and conducting a survey. Common problems were also identified. These
included problems in identifying resources to support the network,
identifying experts with the proper knowledge and competences for the
network, improving collaboration with Customs, addressing the lack of
data on the scope of the problem and issues associated with improving
intelligence and information-sharing. The group identified key
objectives for the network, including targeted actions, starting with
small, quick wins, raising awareness and developing information-sharing
mechanisms. Click here
for the background paper.
The idea for this initiative was first discussed at the 7th INECE
conference in Marrakesh, Morocco in April 2005. Participants in the Seaport network workshop
suggested ideas and on how to better monitor shipments and improve
compliance and enforcement of waste shipment laws and regulations.
Potential partners were listed as: IMPEL-TFS, Green Customs, UNEP, the
World Customs Organization (WCO), Interpol, the Basel Secretariat,
Basel Action Network, the Chemical Legislation European
Enforcement Network (CLEEN), OECD, the North American Commission for
Environmental Cooperation (CEC), Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, the
Strategic Council on Security Technology, Toxics Link, and other
NGOs. For more detailed information on the 2005 workshop, click here
for the background paper and here
for the outcomes of the workshop.
Contact
Information
INECE Secretariat
Phone: +1-202-338-1300
E-mail: inece at inece.org
