The Basel Convention: Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

Serious accidents compromising the environment and human health in developing nations are the result of increased hazardous waste exports. Domestic environmental legislation has failed to control these unchecked exports. The controversial Basel Convention offers a workable solution to slow hazardous waste export and to minimize waste production. This Note analyzes the Basel Convention's provisions and the positions of those opposed to them.

The Note then compares the Convention to existing legislation in the United States and proposes modification and adoption of the Convention as a solution to the increasingly dangerous problem of inadequate waste disposal and international hazardous waste exports.