The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal's principal goal is to reduce transboundary movements of hazardous wastes to a minimum consistent with their environmentally sound management. The convention sets up strict operational controls based upon prior written notification procedures.

Basel Convention was adopted in 22 march 1989, and its entry into force was in may 1992. From 6 to 10 December 1999 in Basel , Switzerland , parties declared the “Basel Declaration on Environmentally Sound Management”. Parties in this declaration agreed upon the next decade activities to achieve the objectives of environmentally sound management in the fields of prevention, minimization, recycling, recovery and disposal of hazardous and other wastes subject to the Basel Convention, taking into account social, technological and economic concerns