“Residual lifetime of used equipments is the key condition to determine if they are used equipments or not. A lot of countries have regulated the residual life related conditions when importing used equipment for reuse. If residual life of products is not requested, it will lead to the fact that products functional but close to the end of life become e-waste soon after imported, increasing the burden of waste disposal of importing country. In addition, household and similar electrical appliances after a certain service life will pose a threat to the safety of the human body because of their decreasing safety performance.”
From p. 1 of response by China to Basel Secretariat. 2015. ‘Decision BC-12/5 | Technical Guidelines on Transboundary Movements of Electrical and Electronic Waste and Used Electrical and Electronic Equipment, in Particular Regarding the Distinction between Waste and Non-Waste under the Basel Convention’. http://www.basel.int/TheConvention/ConferenceoftheParties/Meetings/COP12/tabid/4248/mctl/ViewDetails/EventModID/8051/EventID/542/xmid/13027/Default.aspx.
“As has been the apprehensions of some of the Parties in terms of deciding upon the residual life since it depends on many factors as environmental condition, maintenance, etc., the factors may be indicated as conditions subject to which the residual is depended upon. However, the tentative or expected residual life subject to certain conditions need to be indicated, specifically when import is for direct re-use in the importing country as in para 31(a) with no scope of re-export.”
From p. 5 of response by India to Basel Secretariat. 2015. ‘Decision BC-12/5 | Technical Guidelines on Transboundary Movements of Electrical and Electronic Waste and Used Electrical and Electronic Equipment, in Particular Regarding the Distinction between Waste and Non-Waste under the Basel Convention’. http://www.basel.int/TheConvention/ConferenceoftheParties/Meetings/COP12/tabid/4248/mctl/ViewDetails/EventModID/8051/EventID/542/xmid/13027/Default.aspx.
“We believe that residual lifetime concept is useful and interesting, but to set specific limitations are difficult in a guideline. We therefore believe it is useful to give general guidance that used products intended for export shall have adequate residual lifetime. In our Norwegian guidance for exporters of used goods (available here: http://www.miljodirektoratet.no/old/klif/publikasjoner/2516/ta2516.pdf) we clarify, among other criteria, that in order to ship used goods from Norway in a legal way, the exporter should check that the age of the item is reasonable (relatively new technology), and the item is highly marketable. When inspecting shipments in Norway, age and appearance of the used good are part of the subjective evaluations done by inspectors when determining if an object is waste or not. We would be ready to work further on these issues with other interested parties.”
From p. 1 of response by Norway to Basel Secretariat. 2015. ‘Decision BC-12/5 | Technical Guidelines on Transboundary Movements of Electrical and Electronic Waste and Used Electrical and Electronic Equipment, in Particular Regarding the Distinction between Waste and Non-Waste under the Basel Convention’. http://www.basel.int/TheConvention/ConferenceoftheParties/Meetings/COP12/tabid/4248/mctl/ViewDetails/EventModID/8051/EventID/542/xmid/13027/Default.aspx.