SDG #12 is to “Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”
Within SDG #12 are 11 targets, of which we here focus on Target 12.4:
By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
Target 12.4 has two indicators:
Indicator 12.4.1: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement
Indicator 12.4.2: (a) Hazardous waste generated per capita; and (b) proportion of hazardous waste treated, by type of treatment
The international environmental agreements used to measure indicator 12.4.1 include:
Rotterdam Convention on the international trade of hazardous chemicals and pesticides. All countries have ratified, except a few e.g. USA, Angola, Tajikistan
Montreal Protocol of 1987 on ozone-depleting substances
Minamata Convention on Mercury, named after the Japanese city. Mercury poisoning from this toxic metal, known as Minamata disease, was first identified in this city.
Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs). All countries have ratified except USA, Israel, Malaysia, and Haiti.
Basel Convention of 1989 on transboundary hazardous waste disposal. Only the USA and Haiti have not ratified
The above agreements oblige countries which are parties to report to the respective secretariats. As of 2020, parties to the Montreal Protocol submitted all required information. For the Rotterdam Convention, this was three-quarters of what’s required. For the Basel Convention, this was 60%, and half of what’s required for the Stockholm Convention.
A lot of countries don’t have data for hazardous waste per capita as of 2021. Among those who do, Kazakhstan has produced the most, with 9,624kg per capita.
Indicator 12.4.2 asks us for the proportion of hazardous waste treated by type. Only a handful of countries have reported how many tonnes they’ve either recycled, incinerated, sent to landfill or managed another way.
