European Parliament, Council Agree on New Restrictions on Waste Exports

The European Parliament and the European Council last week reached an agreement on a new set of rules to restrict waste exports, the parliament announced. The agreement, which still needs to be formally approved, seeks to block exports of certain non-hazardous wastes and mixtures to countries outside of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development unless those nations meet “strict” environmental conditions and agree to treat the waste “in an environmentally sound manner,” the parliament said in a news release.

No exports of plastic waste will be allowed to non-OECD countries 2.5 years after the rules take effect, the European Commission said, “unless the country can meet strict conditions.” Parliament said shipments of plastic waste “will be subject to stricter conditions, including an obligation to apply” a “written notification and consent procedure, and closer compliance monitoring.”

Negotiators also agreed that waste shipments “destined for disposal in another EU country are generally prohibited and allowed only in exceptional cases.” Waste shipments destined for “recovery operations” must meet “strict requirements on prior written notification, consent and information.”

The new law also “foresees” that the EU will digitize the bloc's sharing of waste shipment data within two years after the new rules take effect, the parliament said. They will be digitized “through a central electronic hub,” which will help “improve reporting and transparency.”

The parliament and the council also agreed to create an “enforcement group” to help member states prevent and catch illegal waste shipments. “The Commission will be able to carry out inspections, in cooperation with national authorities, where there is sufficient suspicion that there are illegal waste shipments occurring.”