Basel Convention sets roadmap on used and end-of-life computing equipment
17-SEP-2007
Progress has been made during a recent meeting of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal with the development of a new strategic partnership on used and end-of-life computing equipment.
The roadmap was set for PACE, the Partnership for Action on Computing Equipment, which will lead up to the official launch of the initiative at the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (COP9) in June next year.
The aim of the partnership is to increase the environmentally sound management of used and end-of-life computing equipment, taking into account social responsibility, the concept of sustainable development, and promoting information sharing of life cycle thinking. The group agreed to the following three working principles:
1. Promote dialogue amongst governments, industries, NGOs and academia on initiatives that could be carried out in different UN regions
2. Seek innovative solutions, showing concrete and practical results consistent with the Basel Convention, and make recommendations
3. Coordinate and cooperate with other bodies involved in e-waste activities.
Also identified were a set of activities that would assist developing countries and countries with economies in transition, to manage used and end-of life computing equipment in an environmentally sound manner:
* Development of ESM refurbishment guidelines
* Development of ESM recycling practice guidelines
* Development of a guidance document to assist regulators to better distinguish waste from non waste, taking into consideration the EU guidance document on distinguishing between wastes and non wastes
* Collection pilot schemes for used and end-of-life computing equipment in developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
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