BASEL, Switzerland — Delegates from 116 nations on Wednesday adopted an unprecedented treaty designed to restrict the international movement of toxic wastes.
Thirty-four of the delegates promptly signed the treaty, which was approved after 18 months of negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations. Among the countries that did not sign was the United States. Its delegates said that formal acceptance, as with any treaty, will be up to the U.S. Senate.
Other countries' delegates also said they will have to refer the treaty to their governments.
"This is the best we could do," said Andrew Sens, director of the State Department Office of Environment Protection, who was a member of the U.S. delegation. "There are a number of useful features. We will take it home and look at it."
Many countries hailed the treaty, particularly members of the European Community, although the British delegate, the Earl of Caithness, who is an official of Britain's Environment Ministry, declared:
"We believe the treaty doesn't go far enough. We should deal with all waste material, not just that considered hazardous."
Greenpeace, the international environmental organization, expressed strong objections to the treaty. It had called for a complete ban on the export of toxic wastes.
Kevin Stairs, who headed a Greenpeace observer delegation, said: "The delegates didn't come close to realizing the potential of this conference. The convention as written is so weak that it will encourage the trade in hazardous wastes."
Members of Greenpeace summed up their view of the conference's outcome by draping a huge banner across a building opposite the conference center with the message: "Danger. Basel Convention Legalizes Toxic Terror."
Geared to Protect Poor Nations
In essence, the treaty is intended to prevent the wealthy industrial countries from dumping hazardous waste in the poorer nations of the Third World. But Mostafa Tolba, an Egyptian scientist who is executive director of the U.N. Environment Program, said:
"Our agreement has not halted the commerce in poison. But it has signaled the international resolve to eliminate the menace (that) hazardous wastes pose to the welfare of our shared environment and to the health of all the world's peoples."
Diplomats said the most important provision of the treaty is a prohibition against hazardous waste being shipped to a country without that government's written consent. It also bans shipments through third countries without government authorization.
