Hazardous waste is a major global environmental challenge and poses serious risks to human health and safety, and other species of the ecosystem. It has exacerbated over the years as countries pursue industrial and agricultural development without caring for the adverse consequences on the people and the planet. The problem stems from the fact that countries producing an excess of hazardous waste export it to minimise their burden, whereas developing countries like Pakistan are lured to import these hazardous wastes to benefit from them, particularly in terms of chemical recovery and generating revenues. However, it has generated more health hazards for the people of Pakistan and its physical environment because of the limited capacity of the country to handle waste.

The Basel Convention, which came into force in 1992, aims at mitigating the movement of hazardous wastes across nations.

Global efforts resulted in various multilateral environmental agreements, which are known as the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm and Minamata Conventions and are aimed at protecting human health and the physical environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes. The Basel Convention, which came into force in 1992, aims at mitigating the movement of hazardous wastes across nations. The Rotterdam Convention deals with the prior informed consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade. The........

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