Memorandum

Data on the Generation and Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Other wastes in 2003 (as reported)		Quantities (in metric tons)
Generation	Amount of hazardous wastes generated under Art. 1(1)a (Annex I: Y1-Y45) of BC	900
	Amount of hazardous wastes generated under Art. 1(1)b of BC
	Total amount of hazardous wastes generated	900
	Amount of other wastes generated (Annex II: Y46-Y47)	372,434
Export	Amount of hazardous wastes exported	No data
	Amount of other wastes exported	No data
Import	Amount of hazardous wastes imported	0
	Amount of other wastes imported	0

Basel Convention 2002
Country Fact Sheet 2003

Mexico

Status of Ratifications:
Party to the Basel Convention:	22.02.1991
Amendment to the Basel Convention:	-
Basel protocol on Liability and Compensation:	-

(Accession (a); Acceptance (A); Approval (AA); Formal confirmation (c); Ratification; Succession (d))

Competent Authority	Focal Point
Director General de Gestión Integral de Materiales y Actividades Riesgosas Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Semarnat), Av. Revolución 1425 Col. San Angel Tlacopac, México D.F. 01040 México Telephone: [phone] Telefax: (52 55) 56 21 31 10 E-Mail: [e-mail] Website:	Director General de Temas Globales Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores Av. Paseo de la Reforma 255, 6° Piso, Col. Cuauhtémoc C.P. 06500 México, D.F. Mexico Telephone: [phone] Telefax: (52 55) 91 57 42 51/8 E-Mail: [e-mail] Website:

National Definition

National definition of waste used for the purpose of transboundary movements of waste exists in Mexico. Any material generated in the extraction processes, benefit, transformation, production, consumption, use, control or treatment which quality does not allow to use it again in the process that generated it. In accordance with the General Law of the Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection, Art. 3 fraction XXXI. National definition of hazardous waste used for the purpose of transboundary movements of waste exists in Mexico. It is a material in any physical states which by their corrosive, reactive, explosive, toxic inflammable or biological-infectious characteristics represent a danger for the ecological balance and the environment. In accordance with the Article 2 fraction XXXII of the General Law for the Ecological Equilibrium and the Environmental Protection.

Restrictions on Transboundary Movement	Amendment to the Basel Convention The amendment to the Basel Convention (Decision III/1) has been implemented in Mexico. Transboundary movements of hazardous wastes have not been carried out to Annex VII countries of the Basel Convention, even though a legal restriction does not exist on this matter in Mexico (Mexico has not ratified the amendment).
	Restrictions on export for final disposal Mexico restricts the export of hazardous wastes and other wastes for final disposal. The General Law of the Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection (LGEEPA), (entered into force in 1988) in Article 153 fraction V establishes: "the granting of authorizations for exporting materials or hazardous wastes will be subject to the existence of an express consent of the receiving country". Regulation of the LGEEPA on matter of hazardous wastes in its articles 53 indicates that: "authorization for exporting hazardous wastes will not be granted whose only objective is their final disposition abroad, if express consent is not conceded by the receiving state…" The restriction covers all countries.
	Restrictions on export for recovery Mexico restricts the export of hazardous wastes and other wastes for recovery. The General law of the Ecological Equilibrium Protection (LGEEPA), (entered into force in 1988) in Article 153 fraction V, establishes that "the granting of authorizations for export of materials or hazardous wastes will be subject to that an express consent of the receiving country exists". The restriction covers all countries.
	Restrictions on import for final disposal Mexico restricts the import of hazardous wastes and other wastes for final disposal. General law of the Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection (LGEEPA), (entered into force in 1988) Article 153: Fraction II- The import of materials or hazardous wastes will only be authorized for its treatment, recycling or reuse, when their employ is accordingly with the laws, regulations, Mexican official regulations and other effective dispositions. Fraction III- No authorization will be given for importing materials or hazardous wastes whose only objective is their final disposition or simple deposit, storage or confinement in the national territory or the zones where the nation exerts its sovereignty and jurisdiction, or when its use or manufacture is not allowed in the country which they could have been manufactured. LGEEPA regulations referring to hazardous wastes: Article 52: "the authorization will be given for importing materials or hazardous wastes will only be given in case of treatment, recycling or re-use in the national territory, in terms with this regulation and the respective ecological technical regulations." Article 53: "In the same manner, no authorization will be given for importing materials or hazardous wastes whose only objective is their final disposal in the national territory." The restriction covers all countries.
	Restrictions on import for recovery Mexico restricts the import of hazardous wastes and other wastes for recovery. General law of the Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection (LGEEPA), entered into force in 1988, Article 153: Fraction II- The import of materials or hazardous wastes will only be authorized for its treatment, recycling or reuse, when their employ is accordingly with the laws, regulations, Mexican official regulations and other effective dispositions. "LGEEPA regulations referring of hazardous wastes: Article 52: - "The authorization to import materials or hazardous wastes will only be given in case of treatment, recycling or re-use in the national territory, in terms with this regulation and the respective ecological technical regulations. "General law of the Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection (LGEEPA), Article 151 Bis, establishes that: "Requires prior authorization of the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources: the services to third parties which objective is the operation of systems for the gathering, storage, transportation, reuse, processing, recycle, incineration and final disposal of hazardous wastes; the installation and operation of systems for processing to final disposal of hazardous wastes, or for recycling when their objective is the recovery of energy, by means of their incineration and; the installation and operation, by the generator of hazardous wastes, of systems for their reuse, recycle and final disposal, outside the installation where they were generated". Because of this, the enterprises that import hazardous wastes have to be authorized by SEMARNAT for recycling of the same. The restriction covers all countries.
	Restrictions on transit Mexico restricts the transit of hazardous wastes and other wastes. General Law of the Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental protection (LGEEPA): Article 153 fraction IV "The traffic through national territory of hazardous material will not be authorized if they do not satisfy the specifications of use or consumption according to the ones that were elaborated, or whose manufacturing, use or consumption be found prohibited or restricted in the country to which they will be destined; neither the traffic of such materials or hazardous wastes will not be authorized, when they come a foreign country to be destined to a third country; "LGEEPA regulations referring to hazardous wastes: Article 51 "An authorization will not be granted, for the traffic of hazardous wastes through national territory, coming from outland and destined for a third country, If there is no express consent of the receiver state, what should be verified with the request for the respective traffic, and whenever reciprocity with the in question state exists." The restriction covers all countries.

Reduction and/or Elimination of Hazardous Waste Generation	National strategies/policies Development and support of capacity building for the management of hazardous wastes at national level to minimize the transboundary movements; Deregulation of wastes catalogued as hazardous through the procedure named Constancy of no hazard (example: drilling cut muds); Implementing at national level the Convention amendments relating to transboundary movements of hazardous wastes among signatory countries; Adequacy of the Legal Framework on wastes (General Law for Prevention and Integral Management of Wastes) and; Prohibition for importing hazardous wastes which objective is the final disposal.
	Legislation, regulations and guidelines General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental protection (LGEEPA); LGEEPA regulations on hazardous wastes; General Law for Prevention and Integral Management of Wastes (It will operate as of January 2004) and; Development of technical guides for hazardous wastes sound management within the Basel Convention framework (BPC’S, Leads Batteries, Electronic trash, etc).
	Economic instruments/ initiatives Promoting with the Secretary of Economy (that regulates industries and commerce) the deregulation of the Maquila Industry (Mexican assembly plants located near the USA-Mexican boarder where most production is exported to the United States) to avoid the wastes return to the country of origin (Exemption PITEX: PITEX is the importing Temporary Program to produce Articles for Exportation, which is implemented in the Mexico's boarder with the United States of America.)
	Measures taken by industries/waste generators Technology development to treat the hazardous wastes in situ. Demonstrate to authorities the no hazard of wastes, in order to reuse or recycle them. Request management plans to demonstrate environmentally sound management.
	Others None.

Transboundary Movement Reduction Measures

The measures taken for reduction of the amount of hazardous wastes and other wastes subject to the transboundary movement are the same as the measures taken for reduction and/or elimination of hazardous waste generation.

Disposal/ Recovery Facilities

Qmax México, S. A. de C.V., Calle 2 Mz 2 L1 9 Parque Industrial Anacleto Canabal 86280 Villahermosa, Tabasco Tel : [phone] ; Tratamiento de Rp, capacity 100,000.00 tons; Tranquilldad Integral en Residuos, S. A. de C. V., Parque Industrial Mitras Humberto Lobo, no. 9338 66001 Garcia, Nuevo León Tel : [phone] ; Tratamiento de Rp, capacity 16,500.00 tons; Ecoltec, S. A. de C. V. – Orizaba, Campos Eliseos No. 345 Piso 16 Col. Chapultepec Polanco CP 11560 México DF Tel: [phone]; Reciclaje; capacity 150.00tons; Ecoltec, S. A. de C. V. – Ramos Arizpe, Campos Eliseos No. 345 Piso 16 Col. Chapultepec Polanco CP 11560 México DF Tel: [phone]; Reciclaje; capacity 200.00tons; Ecoltec, S. A. de C. V. – Tecomán, Campos Eliseos No. 345 Piso 16 Col. Chapultepec Polanco CP 11560 México DF Tel: [phone]; Reciclaje; capacity 200.00tons. A complete list could be obtained from the Focal Point.

Bilateral, Multilateral or Regional Agreements

Bilateral agreement; USA-Mexico; 29.01.1987 -; Transboundary movements of hazardous wastes.

Technical Assistance and Training Available

National Centre for Research and Environment Training National Institute of Ecology Polytechnique national Institute Commission for Environmental Cooperation Technological Institute for Superior Studies of Monterrey A complete list could be obtained from the Focal Point.