Changed regulations for exporting recyclables (22.01.2008)
Defra has announced changes to the Transfrontier of Shipment of Waste Regulations with the aim to protect developing countries against receiving unwanted waste from international countries.
The move includes an update to the Green List regulation, which came into effect on 18 December and covers the export of non-hazardous recyclable materials from the EU. From 5 February, the regulation will include the wishes of countries outside of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that have expressed an interest in recyclable material they would like to receive.
Defra said that where a country has not expressed an opinion, agreement must be given on a case-by-case basis. The changes aim to help prevent the export of recycables to countries that cannot process the material in an environmentally sound way.
From the amendment in February, Defra added it will be an offence for anyone to export material against the specified wishes of non-OECD countries. Joan Ruddock, environment minister, said: “It is essential that this important legitimate trade is carried out in a mutually respectful and beneficial way. It is completely unacceptable to use it as a cover for dumping unwanted materials on countries that have no use for them, or cannot process them efficiently. This revised regulation will help prevent that happening. Many developing countries want our recyclables because of the value to their growing manufacturing sectors.
“There is a double environmental win from this trade – it makes more sustainable use of the world’s resources, cutting the consumption of virgin raw materials, while boosting recycling levels in the UK and reducing our reliance on landfill. Defra has worked closely with other UK authorities, the European Commission, and other Member States, to ensure that the new Green List regulation is as complete and accurate as possible.”
As reported by RWW last year, the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) initially criticised the responses to the regulations from countries not affiliated to the OECD.
It said seven replies out of 21 non-OECD countries showed “disappointingly more trade restrictive” attitude in their replies to the responses they gave since the 1999 regulations were implemented.