| When countries adopted the Basel Convention on | | | | Refinery imports crude oil for recycling and refining |
| Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste in | | | | for sale, the crude oil is processed with some amount |
| 1989, Jordan ratified this Convention and was a party | | | | of toxic chemicals which are managed very carefully |
| to it. Consequently, this country has an obligation to | | | | lest they cause a negligent spill and cause hazardous |
| enact relevant municipal legislation which conforms to | | | | perils. JUST University disposes of some medical |
| the ideals of Basel, as required by this treaty. | | | | waste from certain hospitals in Jordan and |
| Amongst the requirements of Basel are that member | | | | UNDP-Jordan has some projects on recycling waste |
| states need to ensure that any waste which they | | | | to energy and biogas. These three agencies are all |
| produce is recycled or disposed of in an | | | | success stories in this regard. |
| environmentally sound manner. Jordan first enacted | | | | In light of such commendable initiatives, should |
| its Hazardous Waste No. 12 in 1995 and substituted it | | | | Jordan’s national law specify some guidelines for |
| with Law No. 1 in 2003. Despite this and other | | | | all stakeholders, to facilitate waste recycling in as |
| initiatives such as the many important programmes | | | | many forms of waste as possible, even for the |
| of the Basel Convention’s Arab Centre which | | | | benefit of its rural communities? In addition to |
| covers Jordan, waste continues to be stockpiled in | | | | protecting the environment, this approach could |
| many parts of Jordan as a result of careless dumping | | | | generate income for the poor, as unemployment is |
| and persistent littering in some communities. This | | | | rife in many communities in this country. Furthermore, |
| causes adverse effects such as pollution, | | | | these recommended amendments to legislation could |
| environmental destruction and diseases in human | | | | also provide a definition of what amounts to toxic |
| beings. Factors responsible for such littering include | | | | waste, with relevant explanatory memoranda where |
| inadequate penalties for littering, insufficient public | | | | necessary, and the exact effects of each type of |
| enlightenment, inadequate educational curricula in | | | | waste on human health and the ecology, based on |
| primary and high schools as well as universities and | | | | empirical scientific evidence. Compliance and liability at |
| low capacity. This suggests that the Jordanian law | | | | municipal level then become easy to deal with. |
| needs to be implemented more strictly by enforcing | | | | The national law of this country should also conform |
| penalties regarding offenders and granting incentives | | | | to Jordan’s obligations under the Rotterdam |
| to community groups, agencies, companies and | | | | Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure |
| individuals who promote best practices. This could | | | | for Certain Hazardous Chemicals in International |
| serve as a tool to encourage people and increase | | | | Trade (1998) and the Stockholm Convention on |
| compliance with the law. | | | | Persistent Organic Pollutants (2001). These two |
| Indeed, hazardous waste does not only suggest | | | | treaties, in addition to Basel, regulate wastes which |
| scenarios where it is transported on a ship and | | | | also include chemicals and pesticides, all of which are |
| dumped from one country to another. On the | | | | used in Jordan. In addition to sending officials from |
| contrary, hazardous waste affects the existence of | | | | ministries and customs officers for the green training |
| the daily life of every individual. When used batteries | | | | programmes of such treaties, the government of |
| from torches, radios and other electrical equipment | | | | Jordan needs to train other affected members of |
| are placed at dump sites where scavengers and | | | | the society such as farmers on the objectives of |
| children can freely open them up, it must be borne in | | | | these treaties, as ideally reflected in a national law. |
| mind that these batteries contain deadly chemicals | | | | This could be done in co-operation with other |
| such as cadmium. Such a chemical inflicts perils on the | | | | stakeholders and with the guidance of specially |
| respiratory organs of human beings and cause other | | | | designed training manuals. Many farmers, particularly |
| diseases as well as atmospheric pollution and pollution | | | | those in parts of the Jordan Valley and certain parts |
| to rivers. In some communities including Jordan’s | | | | of this region’s rural communities, owing to |
| Zarqa and Mafraq, overcrowding of industries causes | | | | reasons of insufficient levels of awareness, continue |
| emission of gases from these industries to rivers and | | | | to use obsolete pesticides and chemicals during their |
| underground water. The incidents of mass poisoning, | | | | farming practices. These farmers do not also know |
| amongst large sectors of the populace which | | | | how to dispose of their agricultural waste. The |
| occurred in Mafraq in 2007, resulted from gaseous | | | | long-term effects become damaging to their health. |
| emissions of factory waste from neighbouring towns. | | | | Farmers could then benefit from receiving training on |
| Fluorescent tubes, clinical themometres and certain | | | | the requirements of a national law, in Arabic which |
| forms of medical waste are said to contain some | | | | they can easily grasp and comprehend, with the |
| amount of mercury which affects the nerves and | | | | provision of alternative and more suitable chemicals |
| can cause physical paralysis, psychological disorders | | | | which they need to use. |
| and other forms of sickness in human beings. Hence, | | | | As such, it is imperative that Jordan makes certain |
| the manner in which they are disposed of, after | | | | amendments to its national law and enforce it in a |
| being used, is one which requires caution in Jordan. | | | | manner so as to conform to its requirements under |
| Based on these which are just a few examples of | | | | the Basel, Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions. |
| the instances where hazardous wastes and chemicals | | | | With the occurrence of pressing toxic waste issues |
| are present, hazardous/toxic waste is obviously an | | | | on a daily basis, these are some of the lessons and |
| inevitable part of every human activity which needs | | | | recommendations which this country could adopt to |
| to be carefully disposed of in every community. | | | | suit its circumstances, as it strives to attain the goals |
| When companies such as the Jordan Petroleum | | | | of sustainable development. |