Question

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

Toxic waste trade developed into a thriving business for both developed and developing nations over the years. In 1980s, it was recognised as a serious threat to environmental safety and became an international issue. In 2006, a ship named The Blue Lady quietly anchored on the coast of Gujarat. The ship carried no permission as per international law to enter Indian waters. It carried hazardous waste such as asbestos. This instance was an example of the illegal export of toxic waste to India.

1. Which international treaty was signed to prohibit the movement of the kind of waste referred to above? Briefly discuss any two ways by which this treaty controls the trade of this waste. [3]
2. By referring to any two factors, examine the growth of the trade, referred to above, between the developed countries and the developing countries. [2]
3. With the help of two arguments, establish that this trade causes long term environmental and health hazards. [2]

Answer 1

1. 1. The international treaty signed to prohibit and regulate the movement of toxic waste is the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal.
   2. The treaty controls the trade of hazardous waste in the following two ways:
      1. Prior Informed Consent (PIC) System: An exporting country must provide detailed notifications to the importing and transit nations regarding the nature of the hazardous waste. The shipment can only proceed after receiving explicit, written consent from those nations.
      2. Ban on Non-Party Trade: The treaty prohibits member nations from trading hazardous wastes with countries that have not signed or ratified the convention, unless a separate, equally strict bilateral or multilateral agreement exists.
2. The thriving toxic waste business between developed and developing nations grew primarily due to the following two factors:
   1. Strict Domestic Regulations and Cost in Developed Nations: Developed countries impose stringent environmental laws and high disposal fees for toxic waste within their borders. To save costs, companies outsource the dumping and recycling to poorer regions.
   2. Economic Dependence and Lax Laws in Developing Nations: Developing nations often have weaker environmental laws and limited enforcement capabilities. These countries accept hazardous materials, like decommissioned ships for dismantling, because the trade generates local employment and cheap raw materials (e.g., scrap metal).
3. This trade poses severe, long-lasting consequences established by the following arguments:
   1. Severe Health Risks to Vulnerable Workers: Hazardous substances like asbestos (carried by ships like The Blue Lady) and radioactive components cause incurable long-term health issues, including lung cancers, chronic respiratory ailments, and organ poisoning among local labourers.
   2. Persistent Ecological Contamination: Poor handling and unscientific disposal of solid toxic materials permanently degrade local beaches and marine life. Hazardous chemicals leach into the soil and local water tables, disrupting food chains and destroying coastal fishing livelihoods for decades.