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PBC
Participated in a Colloquium on Hazardous Waste Management in
China
The issue of hazardous waste
management in China is fast becoming a major concern due to the
continuing industrial growth in the country. A meeting was held
last September 13, 2000 in Washington, DC, USA by leading experts
in Chinese environmental law, environmental management and policy
and development issues to discuss major concerns surrounding
China’s growing hazardous waste management and infrastructure
capacity problems.
The meeting was organized by the
Woodrow Wilson Center, a non-advocacy, non-partisan organization
that promotes policy dialogue among policymakers, scholars, NGOs,
and business. A Working Group was organized by the center to
examine key environmental issues in China and how they fit into
the context of US-China relations. For more information about
Woodrow Wilson Center, you can visit its website at http://ecsp.si.edu/.
PBC was invited to give a presentation
on regional hazardous waste research and management issues.
Dr. Donald Kirk, PBC Board Member and Professor at the University
of Toronto provided a summary of the surveys on hazardous waste
in the Pacific Basin countries that have been part of the Consortium
activities since 1992.
During the meeting, liability
issues in China regarding responsibility for hazardous waste
generated there or transported within China was identified as one
of the major concerns. Furthermore, the application of the laws
regarding hazardous waste is not consistent. In general, the
discussions indicated that the developing nations do not have much
guidance in setting priorities for hazardous waste. There are
rules and regulations, laws and protocols but local governments
and citizens have little experience in formulating effective
strategies for improving the local environment.
The Woodrow Wilson Center plans to
hold a second China colloquium this November 2000.
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