There is no national definition of waste and hazardous waste used for the purpose of transboundary movements of waste in Democratic Republic of Congo.
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.
In Democratic Republic of Congo there are no wastes other than those pursuant to Art. 1 (1)a and/or Art. 1 (1)b of the Basel Convention that require special consideration when subjected to transboundary movement.
Democratic Republic of Congo is in a preparatory process of implementing the amendment to the Basel Convention (Decision III/1). Since 10 September 2001, the Minister with responsibility for the environment has been requesting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ratify the amendment to the Basel Convention.
Restrictions on export for final disposal and for recovery
Democratic Republic of Congo restricts the export of hazardous wastes and other wastes for final disposal and for recovery. The relevant legislation is the Interministerial executive decision no. 019.CAB/MENIPME/MCE/96 of 4 July 1996 regulating the market in scrap metal (document signed jointly by the Ministers with responsibility for foreign trade and the Minister with responsibility for the national economy, industry and small and medium-sized enterprises). The restriction covers ferrous scrap: steel scrap and iron smelting scrap containing over 1.7% carbon; and non-ferrous scrap: scrap metals other than the above, in particular scrap copper, cobalt, zinc, lead and aluminium, and alloys of those metals.
Restrictions on import for final disposal and for recovery
Having signed the Bamako Convention and ratification of the amendment to the Basel Convention is pending, Democratic Republic of Congo does not intend to authorize the import of any wastes whatsoever.
Restrictions on transit
Democratic Republic of Congo has no restrictions on the transit of hazardous wastes and other wastes.
Measures have still not been taken in this regard. There are no standards in the area of waste management in general and hazardous wastes in particular. This is an urgent need which must be met. Democratic Republic of Congo needs the support of the Basel Convention Secretariat to do this. So far a national inventory of wastes is not carried out. Democratic Republic of Congo welcomes the start-up of the PCB inventory project in the context of the SADC countries. That project will enable Democratic Republic of Congo to produce, and to have at its disposal from now on, data on the PCB situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Legislation, regulations and guidelines
A draft framework law on the environment is planned for the near future. It will contain guidelines on the management of hazardous wastes. However, so far Democratic Republic of Congo has no legislation in that regard.
Measures taken by industries/waste generators
No study has ever been carried out to determine which measures have been taken in this regard by industry.
Measures have still not been taken in this regard. There are no standards in the area of waste management in general and hazardous wastes in particular. This is an urgent need which must be met. Democratic Republic of Congo needs the support of the Basel Convention Secretariat to do this. So far a national inventory of wastes is not carried out. Democratic Republic of Congo welcomes the start-up of the PCB inventory project in the context of the SADC countries. That project will enable Democratic Republic of Congo to produce, and to have at its disposal from now on, data on the PCB situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
