Working at the nexus of human rights and environment, we confront the issues of environmental justice at a macro level, preventing disproportionate and unsustainable dumping of the world's toxic waste and pollution on our global village's poorest residents. At the same time we actively promote the sustainable and just solutions to our consumption and waste crises -- banning waste trade, while promoting green, toxic free and democratic design of consumer products.

We strive to ensure national self-sufficiency in waste management through clean production and toxics use reductions and in support of the principle of global environmental justice -- where no peoples or environments are disproportionately poisoned and polluted due to the dictates of unbridled market forces and trade.

What the BAN Project Does:

• Definitive Source of Information on Toxic Trade – BAN serves as the information clearinghouse on the subject of waste trade for journalists, academics and the general public. BAN maintains the definitive website on international toxic trade (www.ban.org), an E-mail newsletter, including electronic action alerts. BAN serves as toxic trade media centre, regularly working in coalition with other groups to hold numerous press events each year. BAN is also a regular contributor to various journals and international publications.
  
  
• International Policy Advocacy – BAN is recognized by the United Nations Environment Program as the leading organization dedicated exclusively to issues of “toxic trade” and as such, is invited regularly to participate as NGO experts and stakeholders in internal meetings and policy deliberations. BAN has also worked closely with the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the UNEP Chemicals Program and Governing Council. BAN works with country allies in these meetings to secure commitments and decisions in support of our mission. BAN has also produced Model National Legislation on toxic waste trade for developing countries.
  
  
• Research and Investigations – BAN is experienced in conducting field investigations in developing countries as well as providing photographic and video documentation of toxic trade. We have released stories that have been groundbreaking and will continue to do so. Recently BAN produced its first documentary film on global e-waste dumping that has been distributed widely and is still in high demand. We expect to increasingly use this medium.
  
  
• Campaigns – BAN is always engaged with NGO organizations around the globe in campaigns to counter any form of toxic trade. This type of coalition campaigning is an exciting and effective means to help educate the public via the mass media and to empower NGOs globally.

Current BAN Campaigns:

• E-Waste Stewardship Project – Program to ensure that exports of hazardous electronic waste (Particularly from the USA) to developing countries, exposed by BAN, are eliminated and replaced with producer responsibility and green design programs/legislation.
  
  
• Green Shipbreaking – Ensure that all hazardous materials are removed from US government ship reserve vessels prior to export or are processed domestically, while ensuring that the Basel Convention export controls cover ships as waste globally.
  
  
• Zero Mercury Campaign – Work toward an internationally binding treaty on mercury pollution to eliminate its extraction, use, trade and recycling and to promote permanent storage and alternative uses. Work is particularly focused on eliminating surplus mercury trade to developing countries.
  
  
• Basel Ban Ratification – We work to promote Basel Ban Amendment Ratifications globally and to prevent the weakening of this amendment. In the United States, we insist on dual ratification of the Ban simultaneous with the treaty and work to prevent their efforts at undermining this landmark agreement.

To learn more, click here to visit the Basel Action Network website.