MINERAL and metallurgical technology company Mintek has imported 60 tons of hazardous waste from Australia in disregard of a worldwide ban. According to environmental groups Groundwork and Earthlife Africa, the waste contains high levels of lead and arsenic and is in contravention of the Basel Convention, which banned the export of hazardous waste and of which South Africa is a signatory. Groundwork said the material was a residue called paragoethite and was derived from zinc mining operations. Mintek confirmed it had imported 60 tons of paragoethite but said it had not contravened the Basel convention, which was set up to control the movement of hazardous wastes and to stop dumping in less developed countries. The paragoethite is to be trucked to Mintek’s premises in Randburg where the company will conduct tests, before returning the material to Australia, the company said.