The overall goal of the Basel Convention is to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects that may result from the generation, transboundary movements and management of hazardous and other wastes. To achieve this several interrelated objectives are to be fulfilled:
- Reducing transboundary movements of wastes to a minimum consistent with their environmentally sound and efficient management, and controlling any permitted transboundary movement under the terms of the Convention;
- Minimising the quantity and the hazardousness of wastes generated and ensuring their environmentally sound management including the treatment of these wastes as close as possible to their source of generation;
- Assisting developing countries in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate.
The aim of the Basel Convention is, therefore, to help reduce the number of transboundary movements and the quantity of hazardous wastes to a minimum, and to manage and dispose of these wastes in an environmentally sound manner.