EU decision: an end to the shipping of plastic waste to non-OECD countries

EU makes important decision: shipment of plastic waste to non-OECD countries to end It is becoming more difficult for European countries to ship plastic waste to countries outside the European Union. The new European agreement on the revision of the Waste Shipment Regulation includes the groundbreaking decision to end the export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries within two and a half years. This is a victory that Recycling Netwerk, together with other NGOs, has fought for over many years. The urgency is high. More than 1 million tonnes of European plastic waste was still exported in 2022 to countries that do not have the infrastructure to process it safely. Half of it went to non-OECD countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand. But a third also ended up in Turkey. We therefore continue to regret that the EU institutions have not agreed to stop the export of plastic waste to all countries. Dr Sedat Gündoğdu (a microplastics researcher at Çukurova University in Turkey) is also concerned: “I welcome the decision to stop exports to non-OECD countries, but I hope this does not lead to an increase in plastic waste shipped to Turkey.” To protect the population and the environment in the receiving countries, Recycling Netwerk has been calling for the introduction of an export ban for years. This week, together with Natuur & Milieu, Plastic Soup Foundation, Searious Business, Zero Waste Nederland and Stichting Go Clean, we sent a letter to the State Secretary urging support for the introduction of the export ban. We also wrote previously about support for this ban within the European Parliament. Janine Röling of Recycling Netwerk Benelux: “Thanks to this decision, the EU is finally taking its responsibility. It is our waste, we must solve the problem ourselves and not ship it to countries without infrastructure for safe waste processing, with far-reaching consequences for people and nature.” According to the new agreement, procedures and controls must prevent our waste from causing health or environmental problems elsewhere in the world. There are also plans to improve the reuse of plastics in Europe, and waste may only be moved between EU countries under strict conditions. The waste must be processed or reused on site as much as possible. An enforcement group will be set up to improve cooperation between EU Member States and to prevent and detect illegal shipments. In cooperation with national authorities, the European Commission will also be able to carry out inspections when there is sufficient suspicion that illegal waste shipments are taking place.

EU makes important decision: shipment of plastic waste to non-OECD countries to end

It is becoming more difficult for European countries to ship plastic waste to countries outside the European Union. The new European agreement on the revision of the Waste Shipment Regulation includes the groundbreaking decision to end the export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries within two and a half years. This is a victory that Recycling Netwerk, together with other NGOs, has fought for over many years.

The urgency is high. More than 1 million tonnes of European plastic waste was still exported in 2022 to countries that do not have the infrastructure to process it safely. Half of it went to non-OECD countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand. But a third also ended up in Turkey. We therefore continue to regret that the EU institutions have not agreed to stop the export of plastic waste to all countries.

Dr Sedat Gündoğdu (a microplastics researcher at Çukurova University in Turkey) is also concerned: “I welcome the decision to stop exports to non-OECD countries, but I hope this does not lead to an increase in plastic waste shipped to Turkey.”

To protect the population and the environment in the receiving countries, Recycling Netwerk has been calling for the introduction of an export ban for years. This week, together with Natuur & Milieu, Plastic Soup Foundation, Searious Business, Zero Waste Nederland and Stichting Go Clean, we sent a letter to the State Secretary urging support for the introduction of the export ban. We also wrote previously about support for this ban within the European Parliament.

Janine Röling of Recycling Netwerk Benelux: “Thanks to this decision, the EU is finally taking its responsibility. It is our waste, we must solve the problem ourselves and not ship it to countries without infrastructure for safe waste processing, with far-reaching consequences for people and nature.”

According to the new agreement, procedures and controls must prevent our waste from causing health or environmental problems elsewhere in the world. There are also plans to improve the reuse of plastics in Europe, and waste may only be moved between EU countries under strict conditions. The waste must be processed or reused on site as much as possible.

An enforcement group will be set up to improve cooperation between EU Member States and to prevent and detect illegal shipments. In cooperation with national authorities, the European Commission will also be able to carry out inspections when there is sufficient suspicion that illegal waste shipments are taking place.