Investigation of Efforts and Problems in Implementing the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Wastes and Their Disposal in Nigeria

Abstract

Pollution from toxic chemicals and hazardous waste from domestic and international sources are among the environmental challenges that Nigeria is facing. It is against this background that the country ratified the Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes. This project was designed to discuss Nigeria's efforts in implementing and complying with the Convention. It relied on secondary sources of information such as published articles and books. The study finds that there is a potential threat to human health and the environment posed by the importation of used consumer electronics such as televisions, laptop computers, music systems, and mobile phones. The study results also show that there is a significant amount of waste that is dumped illegally over international borders and improperly managed, which is detrimental to the country's ecology, economic expansion, and public health. Heavy metals are introduced into the environment as a consequence of the unregulated disposal of hazardous waste and electronic trash that occurs across international borders. While the prevention of waste or its reduction should be of the utmost importance, waste treatment and disposal should be prioritized so that they are carried out as close as possible to its point of origin. It was also discovered that there is continuous sensitization of the people who have been dumping electronic garbage about the repercussions of their acts, and new regulations and legislation have been enacted to prevent this from happening again in the future. There is a need to strengthen institutions and effectively implement the laws to adequately protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects of waste.