Update on legislative/environmental matters

At the United Nations: Glossary of Terms for legal clarity

The main focus of the Glossary of Terms is to provide guidance for further legal clarity in relation to the distinction between wastes and non-wastes. This distinction has been a particular problem with regard to cross-border transportation of used substances or objects intended for reuse. This glossary includes definitions of terms and further explanations, including how certain terms relate to each other.

The Glossary of Terms has taken several years from drafting to agreement by the 186 countries that are Parties to the UN-EP Basel Convention. At all meetings, BIR’s Trade & Environment Director Ross Bartley represented the interests of BIR.

Terms defined include: hazardous wastes; hazardous characteristics; non-hazardous waste; disposal; final disposal; recovery; recycling; repair; refurbishment; reuse; and direct reuse.

The Glossary of Terms has been published in six official languages as follows: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish, following its adoption by the 13th Conference of the Parties to the UN-EP Basel Convention.