WEEE contains both hazardous substances and precious


components such as gold and rare earths. Credit: Shutterstock/gopixa


demonstrated by detrimental effects caused by WEEE flows to other regions (More...72). WEEE and other waste material flows can be the result of legal or illegal movements. The Basel Convention has established a framework to manage transboundary waste flows, but illegal flows still occur all the same (Rucevska et al. 2015). Legitimate trade includes reusable and repairable equipment. Export for recycling, even of hazardous WEEE, can be legal if the Basel Convention control system for transboundary movements of wastes is in place.


2.5.4 Chemicals in products: a remaining challenge


Products used in everyday life may contain toxic compounds that contribute to exposure and negative environmental and health impacts throughout the product’s life-cycle (More...73). There is a lack of information of the chemicals that different products contain and of the actual exposure that using the products will cause. In addition, the consequences of introducing these products into the waste stream at the end of their life are also not fully known.


As the current legislation is not sufficient to handle the associated risks, chemicals in products have been identified as an emerging policy area under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) (UNEP 2012b).


96


Chemicals found in some toys include lead and cadmium in metal clasps and paint, phthalates as softeners, brominated flame


retardants, azo dyes and bisphenols Credit: Shutterstock/Africa Studio


A product category of particular concern is toys. Chemicals found in toys include lead and cadmium in metal clasps and paint, phthalates as softeners, brominated flame retardants, azo dyes and bisphenols (Becker et al. 2010). Children are more susceptible and at higher risk to chemicals than adults, as they tend to put toys in their mouths, which drastically increases the exposure. Children are also more vulnerable to negative health outcomes of the exposure. As a result, toys have been made subject to special regulations in EU Member States8


(More...74). Outside the EU, toy production


and import are less well regulated and the corresponding measures to ensure toy safety are often missing (IPEN and GRID-Arendal 2013). Every year, more than 500 tonnes of toys enter Kyrgyzstan, the main port of entry to the Central Asian region, and concerns have been expressed over the lack of control of their chemical content (UNEP 2013c). A recent study found a toy with a lead concentration that exceeded the Russian Federation regulatory limit by 580 times (IPEN and GRID-Arendal 2013) (More...75).


The problem of hazardous chemicals in products requires a range of responses. Improved overall chemicals’ management structures and capacity are necessary, but may not be enough


8 In the EU legislation, the word articles is used for what here is referred to as products.


GEO-6 Assessment for the pan-European Region


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