Waste shipments: tighter EU rules

EU exports of waste to non-EU countries reached 32.7 million tonnes in 2020. The European Parliament wants to ban the export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries.

In january, Parliament adopted its negotiating position for talks with EU governments on a new law to revise EU procedures and control measures for waste shipments. The revised legislation should protect the environment and human health more effectively, while taking full advantage of the opportunities provided by waste to achieve the EU’s goals of a circular and zero-pollution economy.

Following a plenary debate, the report was adopted with 594 votes in favour, 5 against and 43 abstentions. With the adopted text, MEPs support explicitly banning shipments of all wastes destined for disposal within the EU, except if authorised in limited and well-justified cases. EU exports of hazardous waste to non-OECD countries would also be prohibited.

Exporting non-hazardous waste for recovery would be allowed only to those non-OECD countries that give their consent and demonstrate their ability to treat this waste sustainably. MEPs also want to ban the export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries and to phase out its export to OECD countries within four years