Brought to you by Dimitra Papoutsoglou from ECORESET SA
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, adopted in 1989 and ratified by 188 Parties, remains one of the most significant international agreements addressing global waste governance. Over time, the Convention has been updated to reflect new environmental challenges, most notably through the Ban Amendment and the Plastic Waste Amendments—ensuring the environmentally sound management of an increasingly complex range of waste streams worldwide.
The seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (BC COP-17) will take place in Geneva from 28 April to 9 May 2025 and under the theme “Make visible the invisible: sound management of chemicals and wastes,” COP-17 will tackle a wide array of pressing waste and chemicals issues, legal clarity around definitions, and digital tools for tracking transboundary waste flows.
Now on the Table: Annex IV and R14 Entry
Among the key proposals under review is an amendment to Annex IV, which defines both final disposal (D1–D15) and recovery operations (R1–R13). R and D codes are critical in the global regulation of waste and resources as they are embedded in national permitting systems, transboundary movement notifications, and in Annex VII form for non-hazardous waste. Regulatory authorities use these codes to determine whether a shipment is legally considered waste, which in turn affects trade permissions, customs controls, and market trends.
Today, the global trade in used equipment mainly flows from developed economies—such as the EU, the US, and Japan—to regions like West Africa, Southeast Asia, and parts of Latin America. This trade is driven by strong demand for second-hand electronics, particularly computers, smartphones, and household appliances. However, the inconsistent classification between “waste” and “product” creates legal and logistical challenges, making effective regulation essential.
A new proposed entry—R14: “Preparing for Reuse”—aims to clarify the legal status of operations like checking, cleaning, repairing, or refurbishing and repackaging discarded electrical and electronic equipment for future use. In the current catalogue of recovery and recycling operations, there is no entry that specifically defines “repair,” which creates a regulatory gap. The R14 proposal seeks to align the Convention with EU legislation, where discarded products may still be classified as waste until they are officially prepared for reuse.
However, further consideration is needed regarding how this code will be incorporated into the Annex IV list of operations, as there are concerns that it could expand the definition of waste and create significant trade barriers.
Locally, reuse-oriented supply chains support thriving markets for repair centres, remanufacturing hubs, and second-hand retail networks, all of which extend product life and reduce e-waste. The complexity arises when spare parts and reused products are treated as waste, which could lead to local repair shops being classified as waste management facilities, despite lacking the resources to comply with waste management regulations.
On the other hand, regulating the export of second-hand electronics, alongside efforts to promote digital inclusion in developing nations, is crucial to ensure both environmental responsibility and equitable access to technology.
Why It Matters for DPP Implementation
For SMEs (small and medium enterprises) who are building Digital Product Passports (DPPs) to support transparency in ICT value chains, the outcome of the R14 debate is highly relevant. DPPs rely on clear distinctions between used products and waste to function effectively. Therefore, in anticipation of the outcomes of BC COP-17, a thoughtful approach to integrating R14 with the correct definitions and provisions will be essential.