Reduced generation of hazardous wastes may indicate either reduced industrial activities in a country, introduction of cleaner production in the industrial processes, or changing patterns in consumers' habits, which implies savings in the use of energy and raw material as well as improving protection of landscapes. The introduction of environmentally sound management systems for hazardous wastes implies reduction of risks to health and environment due to lesser exposure to hazardous wastes. If one studies the different categories of wastes being generated this provides an indication of the nature of industrial activities being undertaken in a country. In the case of other hazardous wastes such as hospital wastes it is first of all a measure of the size of population, and second, the percentage of this population being treated in hospitals and other medical care units. No quantitative targets exist at the international level.
Targets exist at the national level in many countries.
Council Decisions and ED Council Directives and Regulation on Waste and Hazardous Wastes. In addition, the Technical Working Group is to develop lists of wastes which are always hazardous and, on the other hand, lists of wastes which are not subject of the Convention. This work, which is expected to be finalized in 1997, will facilitate decisions on priority wastes to be subject to cleaner production efforts or improved technological changes. This is to enable all Parties to respect this designation in relation to planned transboundary movements involving such wastes. In relation to the Basel Convention, its Secretariat requests information from the Parties to the Convention on a yearly basis regarding the amount of hazardous wastes generated at the national level.