Bamako convention learning tool
Glossary
Conference of the Parties, COP
The decision-making body of the Convention, and formulates and adopts the policies that will guide the implementation of the Convention.
Competent Authority
The governmental body designated by a Party as responsible for dealing with notifications of a transboundary movement of hazardous wastes or other wastes.
Disposal
Does not merely refer to final disposal, it also includes activities such as resource recovery, recycling, reclamation, direct re-use or alternative uses.
Disposer
Any person to whom the wastes are shipped who will carry out the disposal of the wastes.
Environmentally Sound Management, ESM
Taking all practicable steps to ensure that hazardous wastes or other wastes are managed in a manner which will protect human health and the environment against the adverse effect which may result from such wastes.
Exporter
Any person who is under the jurisdiction of the State of export who arranges for hazardous wastes or other wastes to be exported.
Focal Point
The entity designated by a Party as being responsible for submitting information to and receiving information from the Secretariat.
Generator
Any person whose activity produces hazardous wastes or other wastes. If that person is unknown, the generator will be the person who is in possession and/or control of the wastes.
Movement Document
A document which contains information about the wastes which should accompany a shipment of waste from the point at which the transboundary movement commences to the point of disposal. The table on page 15 details all the information which are required to be included in the Movement Document.
Notification
The obligation on the State of export to provide, or require the generator or exporter to provide, information about a proposed transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and other wastes to the States concerned. The table on page 13 details all the information which are required to be included in the Notification. Such notifications should be made in a language acceptable to the States of import.
Secretariat
The entity which provides support to the Parties to help them implement the Convention. The Secretariat works under the supervision of, and under the instruction of the Conference of the Parties.
State of Export
Country of Export
A Party from which a transboundary movement of hazardous wastes initiates.
State of Import
Country of Import
A Party to whom a transboundary movement of hazardous wastes is destined for the purpose of disposing the waste in that country, or for loading the waste prior to disposal of the waste in another country.
State of Transit
Country of Transit
Any State, other than a State of Import or State of Export, through which a transboundary movement of hazardous wastes or other wastes will take place. It is important to note however that the duty of the Notifier applies to all States of Transit, irrespective of whether they are a Party to the Convention or not
States concerned
Countries concerned
Parties which are States of export, or import to a transboundary movement of hazardous wastes, and States of transit to such a movement, irrespective of whether they are a Party or not.
