Basel Convention

BULGARIA

Status of Ratification/Accession/Acceptance/Approval:	16.02.1996 (a)
Ratification of the Amendment to the Basel Convention:	15.02.2000

Competent Authority	Focal Point
Ministry of Environment and Water 67, “William Gladstone” Str. Sofia 1000 tel: [phone] fax: [phone] e-mail: [e-mail] web site: http://www.moew.govrn.bg	Ministry of Environment and Water Waste Management Department 67, “William Gladstone” Str. Sofia 1000 tel: [phone] fax: [phone] e-mail: [e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail] web site: http://www.moew.govrn.bg

National Definition

“Waste” shall be a substance, object or part thereof without preliminary immediate application or which its owner wishes to or must relieve of. The substances, objects or part of objects, submitted by the owner or by a person authorized by the owner to the specialized waste treatment companies, shall also be defined as “waste” until such time, when the materials restored therefrom or the energy produced thereby shall become included in the production process. “Hazardous wastes” shall be the waste whose composition, quantity and properties create risk to human health and the environment and is defined as such under the Basel Convention for control of transboundaty movement of hazardous waste and its disposal (according to Annex I of the Basel Convention). There are no wastes defined as, or considered to be hazardous wastes by national legislation in accordance with Art. 1, para 1(b) of the Basel Convention. Wastes listed in Annex II of the Basel Convention (Y46-Y47) require special consideration when subjected to transboundary movement.

Data* on the Generation and Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes** and Other Wastes*** in 2000 (as reported)

		Quantities (in metric tonnes)
Generation	Total amount of hazardous wastesgenerated	755 677 ^1)
	Total amount of other wastesgenerated	3 318 022 ^2)
Transboundary Movement	Total amount of hazardous wastesand other wastesexported	51 ^3)
	Total amount of hazardous wastesand other wastesimported	4 153 ^4)

* Figures are rounded to the nearest integer.

** Covers wastes under Art. 1 (1)a (Annex I: Y1-Y45) and Art. 1 (1)b.

*** Covers wastes under (Annex II: Y46-Y47)

1) Figure refers to the total amount of hazardous wastes generated under Art. 1 (1)a (Annex I: Y1-Y45).

2) Figure refers to total amount of Y46 generated.

3) Figure refers to total amount of hazardous wastes exported under Art. 1 (1)a (Annex I: Y1-Y45).

4) Figure refers to total amount of hazardous wastes imported under Art. 1 (1)a (Annex I: Y1-Y45).

Restrictions on Transboundary Movement	Amendment to the Basel Convention Bulgaria has ratified the “Ban amendment” by law (published in State Gazette No. 113/28.12.1999).
	Restrictions on export for final disposal and for recovery Bulgaria restricts the export of hazardous wastes and other wastes for final disposal and for recovery. The relevant legislations are: Reduction of the Harmful Impact of Waste upon the Environment Act, dated 18 September 1997; and Council of Ministers Decree No 166 on the adoption of a Regulation for the cases that require a permit for import, export and transit transportation of waste, and on the conditions and procedures for permit issuance, dated 4 August 2000 (repealing Regulation No 5 of 8 October 1998, on the permits for import, export and transit transportation of waste). This restriction covers wastes from Annex I to the Basel Convention (according to Art. 1 (1) a.); and Amber and Red List Wastes (Annex III and IV) to the Regulation 259/93/EEC. Bulgaria remarks that a waste export permit shall be issued in observation of the following conditions: a written consent by the competent authorities of the State of import, including: a) a declaration that the wastes to be forwarded are needed for processing or recycling or other activities related to wastes; b) a confirmation of a contract between the applicant or a person, on whose behalf the applicant is arranging the transboundary movement of waste and the person who will dispose the wastes in the importing state. a written confirmation by the competent authorities of the states through which territories transit transportation shall be carried out, that accept the transportation through the territories thereof.
	Restrictions on import for final disposal Bulgaria restricts the import of hazardous wastes and other wastes for final disposal. The relevant legislation is the Environmental Protection Act, dated 18 October 1991. This restriction covers all wastes. The import of waste into the state with the purpose of storage, landfill or disposal is prohibited.
	Restrictions on import for recovery Bulgaria restricts the import of hazardous wastes and other wastes for recovery. The relevant legislations are: Reduction of the Harmful Impact of Waste upon the Environment Act, dated 18 September 1997; and Council of Ministers Decree No 166 on the adoption of a Regulation for the cases that require a permit for import, export and transit transportation of waste, and on the conditions and procedures for permit issuance, dated 4 August 2000 (repealing Regulation No 5 of 8 October 1998, on the permits for import, export and transit transportation of waste). This restriction covers wastes from Annex I to the Basel Convention (according to Art. 1 (1) a.); and Amber and Red List Wastes (Annex III and IV) to the Regulation 259/93/EEC. Bulgaria remarks that import of waste within the Republic of Bulgaria shall be allowed in exceptional cases and under observation of the following conditions: Imported waste shall be used only for the needs of production if end-user contracts are available; the persons who shall process the waste must possess a permit for this activity; the wastes must have their physico-chemical composition determined precisely and must be accompanied by the necessary documents including a specification, certificate and an invoice; the use of wastes in the relevant production processes should produce smaller quantities of waste than the use of traditional raw materials or shall replace valuable or limited natural resources; the waste must be stored and processed for a period not longer than 6 months and in a way excluding risks to human health and to the environment; and a written confirmation by the competent authority of the State of export that does not have the technical capacity and the necessary facilities, capacity or suitable disposal sites in order to dispose of the wastes in an environmentally sound and efficient manner.
	Restrictions on transit Bulgaria restricts the transit of hazardous wastes and other wastes. The relevant legislations are: Reduction of the Harmful Impact of Waste upon the Environment Act, dated 18 September 1997; and Council of Ministers Decree No 166 on the adoption of a Regulation for the cases that require a permit for import, export and transit transportation of waste, and on the conditions and procedures for permit issuance, dated 4 August 2000 (repealing Regulation No 5 of 8 October 1998, on the permits for import, export and transit transportation of waste). This restriction covers wastes from Annex I to the Basel Convention (according to Art. 1 (1) a.); and Amber and Red List Wastes (Annex III and IV) to the Regulation 259/93/EEC. The permits for transit transportation of waste shall be issued in observation of the following conditions: a written consent by the competent authorities of the states through which the transportation shall be conducted following the transition of the wastes through the Republic of Bulgaria, including such from the State of import; a declaration by the competent authorities of the state through which the wastes shall be transported prior to the Bulgarian border, conforming the obligations for return passage and acceptance of the cargo in case the same is not admitted into the Republic of Bulgaria or in any of the subsequent states; and bank guarantees or insurance covering the resulting from transportation damages in transit including where the transboundary transportation is considered illegal.

Reduction and/or Elimination of Hazardous Waste Generation

National strategies/policies National Waste Management Program – accepted by the Council of Ministers’ Decision No.254/20.04.1999.

Legislation, regulations and guidelines Regulation of the cases that require a permit for import, export and transit transportation of waste, and on the conditions and procedures for permit issuance (repealing Regulation No. 5 of 8 October 1998, on the Permits for Import, Export and Transit Transportation of Waste), adopted by Decree of Council of Ministers No. 166 dated 4 August 2000; Regulation on the requirements for treatment and transport of waste oils and oil products, adopted by Decree of Council of Ministers No. 131 dated 13.07.2000;

Regulation on the requirements for putting into market of luminescent and other containing mercury lamps, and on the treatment and transportation of spent luminescent and other containing mercury lamps, adopted by Decree of Council of Ministers No. 260 dated 05.12.2000; and Regulation on the requirements for production and marketing of batteries and accumulators and for treatment and transport of spent batteries and accumulators, adopted by Decree of Council of Ministers No. 134 dated 17.07.2000.

Economic instruments/ initiatives Product charge for putting into market of batteries and accumulators.

Transboundary Movement Reduction Measures

National strategies/policies National Waste Management Programme – accepted by the Council of Minister’s Decision No. 254 dated 20.04.1999.

Disposal/ Recovery Facilities

Disposal facilities Information could be obtained from: Ministry of Environment and Water, Waste Management Department 67, “William Gladstone” Str., Sofia 1000 tel: [phone]/6637, fax: [phone] e-mail: [e-mail] and [e-mail] A project for Establishment of the National Hazardous Waste Treatment Centre is under preparation. The import of all types of waste in Bulgaria intended to be stored, landfilled, or disposed of is prohibited. Recovery/recycling/re-use facilities Information could obtained from: Ministry of Environment and Water, Waste Management Department, 67, “William Gladstone” Str., Sofia 1000, tel: [phone]/6637, fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail].

Bilateral, Multilateral or Regional Agreements

None.

Technical Assistance and Training Available

A list could obtained from: Ministry of Environment and Water, Waste Management Department, 67, “William Gladstone” Str., Sofia 1000, tel: [phone]; fax: [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail], [e-mail] or [e-mail]

Basel Convention

Country Fact Sheet