Pakistan announces National Hazardous Waste Management Policy

On July 25, 2022, the Ministry of Climate Change of Pakistan announced the National Hazardous Waste Management Policy, 2022. The policy plays an important role in fulfilling the obligations of The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, and also emphasizes the importance of a life-cycle approach to environmentally sound management of hazardous waste from generation to disposal. For example, the policy outlines measures such as control of transboundary movements of hazardous waste, management of contaminated sites, organizational capacity development, monitoring and reporting mechanisms, and sustainable financing options. This policy is expected to strengthen coordination mechanisms between the federal and state governments, and an action plan will be developed to achieve the policy goals.