State urged to ratify ban on toxic waste

IRELAND is to be asked to immediately ratify an amendment to the Basle Convention banning the dumping of toxic waste in developing countries.

Ireland, Italy and Greece are the only EU countries that have not yet ratified this amendment.

It cannot come into force until two-thirds of UN member states have ratified it. EU Environmental Commissioner Stavos Dimos insisted it was “vital that everyone should do so as quickly as possible”.