Controlling hazardous waste exports: A critical appraisal

The history of hazardous waste exports is a history of industrialization. As a nation industrializes it generates more hazardous wastes. While the correlation between degree of industrialization and production of hazardous wastes has held true to date, it is being decoupled as the increased understanding of hazardous waste prevention systems and stricter regulation begin to dampen production rates. Most hazardous wastes are produced in the European Union and the United States. The issue of hazardous wastes is also one of definitions, political responsibility, and economic prosperity. This paper provides a critical appraisal of these issues and options. All hazardous waste issues should be considered with great care as the answers will not be one dimensional. A developed country may not have the moral right to export hazardous materials to a developing country, but does the developed country have the right to deprive a developing nation of a valuable source of material and income? Is it really better to dispose of waste in a local injection well, or at an incinerator in a country badly in need of hard currency with which to buy agricultural products? Hazardous waste exports is a global problem with local solutions and as with many suchmore » problems the solutions will be neither totally just or efficient.« less