Hazardous waste policy framework: Meeting international obligations

The policy objective is to fulfil New Zealand's international obligations relating to the management of hazardous wastes.

New Zealand is party to a number of international agreements applying to the management of hazardous wastes. These include the Basel, Waigani and Stockholm conventions.

Elements in place

  • The 1989 Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal aims both to reduce the amount of hazardous waste produced by signatories, and to regulate the international traffic in hazardous wastes (especially to developing countries). The Basel Convention requires prior approval of hazardous waste imports and exports, (in New Zealand, the Ministry of Economic Development is the approving agency) and requires exporting countries to ensure that hazardous waste will be managed ‘in an environmentally sound manner’. New Zealand has ratified this convention and has the legislation in place to fulfil its obligations.
  • The Waigani Convention is a regional agreement to ban the importation of hazardous and radioactive wastes and to control the movement of hazardous and radioactive wastes within the South Pacific region. It largely mirrors the obligations in the Basel Convention. New Zealand has ratified this convention and contributes towards building the capacity of Pacific Island states to fulfil the obligations of the convention.
  • The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) aims to eliminate the manufacture and use of PCBs and nine chlorine-containing pesticides (including DDT, dieldrin, chlordane, aldrin, endrin, and hexachlorobenzene), and to minimise (and where feasible ultimately eliminate) releases of dioxins and furans. New Zealand has ratified the convention and this requires it to prepare a National Implementation Plan.

Elements still under development

  • A National Implementation Plan which will describe the reduction in emissions and contaminants of persistent organic pollutants and will be submitted to the Stockholm Convention secretariat by December 2006. 

Last updated: 17 September 2007