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RESOLUTION- Waste Disposal Covenant

Posted on Apr 26 2006, 01:04 PM

Waste Disposal Covenant

A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.

Category: Environmental

Industry Affected: All Businesses

Proposed by: Fonzoland

Description: APPALLED at the environmental and public health risks posed by irresponsible waste disposal,

COMMENDING all efforts to minimise these risks by recycling or responsible waste disposal, yet

NOTING that the economic viability of recycling is driven by demand, technology, and other national circumstances,

REGRETTING that some nations do not possess the technology or resources necessary for responsible waste disposal,

DEEPLY AWARE of the multitude of personal and industrial waste products with different chemical characteristics, and of the variety of waste disposal techniques, most of which are only suitable for specific types of waste,

CONSCIOUS that legislation detailing specific technologies or processes is likely to be made obsolete by scientific progress,

DEFINING for the purposes of this resolution:
- 'waste' as unwanted materials of little or no value that are generated by human activities,
- 'impact' as the negative aesthetic, public health, and environmental consequences of a certain practice,
- 'waste disposal' as the collection, transport, processing, storage, disposal, and destruction of waste with the purpose of minimising its impact,

The UN:

1. ADVISES member nations that the use of recyclable or biodegradable materials in industrial production can greatly reduce the cost and impact of waste disposal;

2. ENCOURAGES member nations to create public organisations, or to stimulate the creation of private organisations, capable of performing responsible waste disposal;

3. CREATES the UN Waste Disposal Authority (WDA), mandated to:
a) Establish, publish, and regularly update:
- a description of available waste disposal techniques (WDT), outlining their impact when applied to different waste categories,
- a list of recommended WDT for each category, taking into account technological and economic constraints, and their maximum permissible impact,
- a list of 'hazardous waste' categories, which pose serious health or environmental risks, or for which no satisfactory WDT exist,
- a list of banned WDT, deemed to pose unacceptably high risks of direct impact on other nations;

Officially certify the WDT of entities that request it, provided they meet said recommendations;
c) Perform regular and surprise inspections of certified entities to ensure said recommendations are strictly followed;
d) Research improved WDT with reduced impact or costs;
e) Advise upon request on the best WDT for each waste category;

4. REQUESTS that member nations contribute personnel, technology, knowledge, and funding to the WDA;

5. ENCOURAGES the use of recommended WDT;

6. INSTRUCTS member nations to:
a) Prevent the use of banned WDT;

Impose economic and compensatory damages on any entity in their jurisdiction whose waste disposal practices are deemed to have a direct impact on other member nations, and promptly transfer collected damages to affected nations;
c) Impose, at their discretion, punitive damages or criminal charges on entities guilty of such misconduct;

7. URGES member nations to provide similar compensation to non-member nations and national entities;

8. PROHIBITS:
a) International transfer of hazardous waste without the official consent of receiving nations;

International transfer of waste by non-certified entities;
c) Protectionist devices, such as tariffs, duties, or quotas, on the provision of waste disposal services by certified entities.

Co-authored by the GTT