BASEL ACTION NETWORK (BAN) GLOBAL SURVEY
30 January 2002
1. How does your country define hazardous waste? Please explain the differences, if any, in your national hazardous waste definitions from the Basel Convention's definitions. Oman's (in all cases these are translations from the official Arabic language version) "Regulations for Management of Hazardous Waste"-define hazwaste as "Any waste arising from commercial, industrial, agricultural or any other acitivity which due to its nature, composition, quantity or any other reason, is hazardous, or potentially hazardous to human health, plants, animals or to air, soil or water. This includes explosive, rasio-active or flammable substances or those which may cause disease as well as those issued by a decision from the Minister.
2. Does your country possess a national hazardous waste import prohibition law or policy?
Yes, as Legislation: X (if so, please cite the law, e.g. National Import Law, Section 1, Chapter 23; Environmental Protection Act of 1997) Issued by Ministerial Decision number 18/93 "Regulations for the Management of Hazardous Waste"
Yes, as Policy:__ (if so, please cite basis for policy, e.g. executive order, declarations, etc.)
Yes, by virtue of a treaty obligation: __(if so, please cite the treaty)
No:__
3. If you answered "Yes" above, is the ban or prohibition with or without exceptions.
Without exceptions:X
With exceptions: (please describe exceptions)
4. Does your country possess a national hazardous waste export prohibition law or policy?
Yes, as Legislation:X (if so, please cite the law and to whom the ban applies, for example: National Import Law, Section 1, Chapter 23-Applies to non-OECD Countries) Issued by Ministerial Decision number 18/93 "Regulations for the Management of Hazardous Waste"
Yes, as Policy:__ (if so, please cite basis for policy e.g. executive order, declarations, etc.)
Yes, by virtue of a treaty obligation: (if so, please cite the treaty)
No:__
5. Is your country a Party to the Basel Convention?
Yes: X
No: __(if not, please explain as specifically as you can, why not. What are the remaining obstacles to ratification?)
6. If your country is a party to the Basel Convention, does it consider decision II/12, which prohibited all exports of hazardous wastes from OECD to non-OECD countries binding on it?
Yes: X
No: __ (if not, please explain as specifically as you can how your country implements decision II/12 or what significance it holds for your country)
7. Has your country ratified the amendment adopted by Decision III/1 of the Basel Convention which likewise bans all exports of hazardous wastes from OECD, EU and Liechtenstein to all other countries?
Yes: __
No: X (if not, please explain as specifically as you can why not. What obstacles remain?) This is under review and discussion with other GCC countries
8. Does your country intend to ratify the Decision III/1 (The Basel Ban Amendment)?
Yes: X (if yes, can you indicate a time frame?) Anticipate within 1-2 years
No: __ (if no, can you explain why not?)
9. Is your country part of the areas covered by any of the following instruments: Izmir Protocol (Mediterranean watershed area), Bamako Convention (Organization of African Unity Member States), Waigani Treaty, (South Pacific Island States) or the Central American Agreement on Hazardous Waste (Central American country)?
Yes: __(if so, which region?)
No: X
10. If you answered yes above, has your country ratified that agreement?
Yes: __ (if so, what was the date of deposit?)
No: __ Not applicable (if not, please explain as specifically as you can, why not and when might ratification be expected to occur, if at all?)
11. Has your country ratified the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent?
Yes: X
No: __ (if not, please explain as specifically as you can, why not, what obstacles remain, and when might ratification be expected to occur, if at all?)
12. Has your country ratified the London Convention Protocol of 1996 (updating the London Convention)?
Yes: X
No: __ (if not, please explain as specifically as you can, why not, what obstacles remain, and when might ratification by expected to occur, if at all?)
13. Has your country ratified the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants?
Yes: X
No: __ (if not, please explain as specifically as you can, why not, what obstacles remain and when might ratification by expected to occur, if at all?)
14. Please let us know of any other information which you feel is important in understanding your country's current position and status with respect to the above questions:
15. Please supply your contact information:
Name: Mohammed Bin Khamis Al-Araimi
Title: Director General of Environmental Affairs
Listed Basel Competent Authority? Yes:X No:___
Address: PO Box 323, Muscat 113, Sultanate of Oman
Phone: +968 692550
Fax: +968 692462
E-Mail: oman_environment@yahoo.com