By Nakinskie Robinson
The National Environmental Planning Agency (NEPA) says it will be strengthening oversight of e-waste exports.
This comes against the background of non-functional used electrical and electronic equipment and their components being dumped in developing countries.
NEPA says effective January 1, 2025, people wishing to export waste electrical and electronic equipment or e-waste will be subjected to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC).
Under the PIC procedure, NEPA is required to seek and obtain prior approval from the competent authorities of transit and importing states before granting a permit for the transboundary movement of e-waste from the island.
NEPA says Jamaica had been observing this procedure for some time.
The move is in alignment with the e-waste amendment in the Basel Convention under Annexes II, VIII and IX.
This was agreed on by the Conference of Parties in 2022, COP-15 to enlarge the control of the transboundary movement of e-waste.
Global heads said the move was necessary as disposed e-waste posed serious environmental hazards for receiving nations which were mainly developing countries
NEPA says the exports of e-waste were initially intended for the trade of functioning equipment to receiving countries which is why it was not classified as hazardous.
But it was found that much of the equipment exported were non-functional materials that were being traded under the guise as functional.
The danger posed was that they were typically burnt at dump sites to reduce volumes and caused the release of toxic substances, sometimes up to 1000 different toxic chemicals into the environment.
NEPA says hazardous e-wastes containing what the Basel Convention refers to as Annex I elements such as mercury, lead and brominated flame retardant that are corrosive, explosive, poisonous or toxic, will see improved regulations.
The regulations outlined under the Natural Resources (Hazardous Waste) (Control of Transboundary Movement) Regulations, 2002, will be updated to reflect the Basel Convention's e-waste amendments.
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