The Basel Convention was established primarily for which of the following purposes?

Appeared in: NORCET 10 Prelims-2026

Explanation

The Basel Convention is an international treaty specifically focused on hazardous waste.
Its primary goal is to control the transboundary (cross-border) movements of hazardous wastes and ensure their environmentally sound management and disposal.
A key aspect is preventing the 'toxic trade,' where developed countries export hazardous waste to less-developed countries that may lack the capacity to handle it safely.
This directly aligns with protecting human health and the environment from the dangers posed by such wastes.

Option B: This option describes the purpose of the Montreal Protocol, not the Basel Convention.
Option C: The protection of human rights is governed by a different set of international laws and declarations, primarily the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Option D: This option describes the objective of climate change agreements like the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Purpose of the Basel Convention as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding environmental laws like the Basel Convention is relevant to public and community health nursing.
Improper disposal of hazardous waste, including biomedical waste, can contaminate soil and water, leading to infectious diseases (like cholera, typhoid) and chronic conditions (like cancers from chemical exposure).
Nurses play a role in advocating for safe environments and educating communities about the health risks of pollution.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the key term in the question stem: 'Basel Convention'.
This is a factual recall question. Access your knowledge about major international treaties.
Analyze each option to determine which one accurately describes the purpose of the Basel Convention.
Option A directly relates to 'hazardous wastes,' which is the core focus of the Basel Convention.
Mentally cross-reference the other options to their corresponding treaties (Montreal Protocol for ozone, Kyoto Protocol for greenhouse gases) to confirm they are incorrect distractors.
Select the option that provides the most accurate and primary purpose of the specified convention.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health NursingShyamala D part 1 (pp 26-389 of 389) p. 132-134

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart A (pp 26-201 of 604) p. 6-8

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart B (pp 276-535 of 550) p. 195-197

Practise the full NORCET 10 Prelims-2026

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.