WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/GEN/1129 
4 November 2011  
 
(11-5602) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NATIONAL PLAN FOR THE PREVENTION OF ENTRY AND 
TRANSMISSION OF PESTS AND DISEASES 
THROUGH WASTE REGULATION 
 
Communication from Argentina 
   The following communication, received on 27 October 2011, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of Argentina. 
 
_______________ 
 
 
I. THE IMPORTANCE OF BORDER CONTROLS AND THE ISSUE OF WASTE OF 
FOREIGN PROVENANCE 
1. Argentina has an extensive border - over 14, 000 kilometres long - across which animals, 
plants and animal and plant parts, products and by-products move back and forth, rendering it 
essential to strengthen measures to prevent the entr y and dissemination of any pests and diseases they 
may be carrying. 
2. Argentina, as an agricultural exporter par exce llence, must seriously tighten up its sanitary 
barrier controls to preserve the sanitary status it has achieved, which allows it to sell its agri-food 
products on international markets. 
3. The National Agriculture and Food Quality and He alth Service (SENASA) is responsible for 
implementing national policies designed to prevent,  control and eradicate animal diseases and plant 
pests and safeguard Argentina's zoosanitary and phytosanitary heritage. 
4. It is most important to know that the move ments of persons, means of transport and goods 
generated by constant and growing international trade and tourism lead to the arrival in Argentina of 
waste and other materials that are potential vectors of pests or diseases which may endanger human, 
animal and plant health as well as the environment in general. 
5. SENASA's Risk Analysis Unit has concluded th at organic waste arriving in Argentina from 
abroad presents a risk to huma n, animal and plant health. 
6. Air, sea, river and land transport in Argentina be tween regions with different sanitary statuses 
may also spread agents capable of adversely affecting the sanitary status that the country has 
achieved.  Consequently, ports, airports, land trans port terminals, internal sanitary barriers and any 
possible point of entry or transit of waste or other materials that may be vectors of pests or diseases 
must adopt the necessary measures to protect the country's sanitary status. 
7. Over the years, SENASA has established various standards to strengthen this concept as well 
as measures aimed at maintain ing the epidemiological status of Argentina.  In 2010, G/SPS/GEN/1129 
Page 2  
 
  Resolution No. 714 was issued, approving the Na tional Plan for the Prevention of Entry and 
Transmission of Pests and Diseases through Waste Regulation. 
II. OBJECTIVES OF THE NATIONAL PLAN FOR THE PREVENTION OF ENTRY 
AND TRANSMISSION OF PESTS AND DISEASES THROUGH WASTE REGULATION 
8. The overall objectives are: 
 To control and supervise waste that may be a vector of pests or diseases, whether it be 
of foreign provenance or in domestic circula tion;  to prevent its entry or order its 
immobilization or destruction as appropriate;  and 
 to establish the requirements that must be met by producers of this waste and the 
conditions under which the collection, trans port, treatment and final disposal thereof 
must be carried out. 
9. The specific objectives are: 
 To improve the regulatory framework and control procedures in line with 
developments and growth in movements at the borders; 
 to register and continually supervi se the various actors involved in waste 
management; 
 to develop training workshops not only for operational staff themselves but also for 
the government bodies and private companies involved in the various stages of the process of traceability of waste of foreign provenance;  and 
 to promote the establishment of working groups bringing together the various official 
organizations with direct or indirect juri sdiction over border inspection posts in order 
to raise awareness, disseminate informa tion and establish cooperation agreements 
among them, taking into account each organization's area of action. 
III. STRUCTURE OF THE PLAN 
10. The National Plan is being carried out by the Coordinating Office of the National Waste 
Regulation Plan under the direction of SE NASA's Environmental Management Unit. 
11. An Assistance Commission, composed of re presentatives of the National Directorate of 
Regional Operations, the National Directorate of Animal Health, the National Directorate of Plant Protection, the National Directorate of Agriculture and Food Safety and Quality, the National Directorate of Agricultural Chemicals, Veterinary  Products and Food, the National Directorate of 
Technology and Administration and the Environm ental Management Unit, is responsible for 
establishing the strategic outlines for implementing th e National Waste Regulation Plan and for risk 
profiling in the field of animal and plant health. 
12. SENASA's Regional Coordinating Offices are re sponsible for the opera tional implementation 
of the National Waste Regulation Plan.  G/SPS/GEN/1129 
 Page 3 
 
 
  13. The operational stages of the Plan entail: 
 - The registration of operators.  A Registry of Service Providers of the National Waste 
Regulation Plan has been established and will operate within the scope of SENASA's 
Environmental Management Unit; 
 - the supervision and control of vessels, ai rcraft and land vehicles that enter national 
territory; 
 - periodic checks of waste collection points , transport vehicles and treatment plants;  
and 
 - the implementation of a system of penalties provided for in Decree No. 1585/96. 14. Resolution No. 714/10 is available online in Spanish at: 
 http://www.senasa.gov.ar/Archivos/File/File3941-anexos-714.pdf  
 http://www.senasa.gov.ar/contenido.php? to=n&in=1447&i no=1447&io=14923  
 
__________