When a project has received the funds to dispose of obsolete pesticide stockpiles, work can begin to transport the pesticides to the country where the pesticides will be destroyed.
Pesticide waste is an extremely hazardous form of toxic waste. This means that there are especially tight conditions regulating how they can be transported internationally. All products must be packed and transported in accordance with both national legislation and the United Nations Recommendations on the transport of dangerous goods (IMDG and UNECE).
Almost all old stocks of pesticides will fail to meet United Nations packaging and labeling standards for international transport, and will therefore require repackaging and/or relabeling before they can be shipped internationally. In some cases countries have taken the initiative to repackage leaking pesticides in order to protect people and the environment. However, if non-United Nations-approved containers have been used in the safeguarding process, then the entire stock needs to be repacked again using UN approved containers before shipment. This is an unfortunate waste of resources and it is therefore crucial to do the job properly from the beginning using relevant expertise and more expensive but correct packaging materials. In most cases, this involves importing containers. All of this requires training and supervision and constant health monitoring for the people doing the job.
This step in the process also demands a solid understanding of the precise technical specifications and bureaucratic procedures to be followed as outlined by international conventions and laws. The main mechanisms regulating the transport of obsolete pesticides are:
Landlocked African countries, where pesticide waste must cross international borders before shipment, may adhere to the Bamako Convention on the Ban of the Import into Africa and the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes within Africa.
