Ban on plastic waste exports to numerous countries
Plastic waste from the EU will no longer be allowed to end up anywhere in the world. Representatives of the EU member states agreed with negotiators from the European Parliament in Brussels on a ban on the export of plastic waste to countries outside the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), as announced by the EU Parliament. This means that plastic waste exports to Africa or large parts of Asia are prohibited for the time being.
However, as the EU states write in a press release, countries outside the OECD will have the opportunity to apply for exemptions five years after the new rules come into force. However, the waste management industry in these countries must fulfill certain conditions.
With the export ban on plastic waste, the EU legislators primarily want to prevent the environmental destruction in third countries caused by waste from the EU, the EU Commission said of the agreement. "The EU will finally take responsibility for its plastic waste," said MEP Pernille Weiss from the Christian Democrat EPP group. According to the Parliament, the regulation should apply two and a half years after the law comes into force. Parliament and EU member states still have to formally approve the agreement.
There are also to be stricter requirements for waste exports in general in future. The EU Commission had proposed stricter rules for waste exports at the end of 2021 in order to better protect the environment and health. Other regular waste will only be able to be exported to non-OECD countries if they treat it in an environmentally friendly manner and also comply with international labor standards and workers' rights. According to the parliamentary communication, the EU Commission will draw up a list of such recipient countries, which will be updated at least every two years.
According to the Commission, the EU exported around 33 million tons of waste in 2020, much of which went to Turkey, but also to countries outside the OECD such as India, Indonesia and Pakistan. Researchers estimate that between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastic waste end up in the oceans every year. That is the equivalent of approximately one truckload per minute.
The EU's ban on plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries aims to halt environmental destruction in these regions, caused by EU waste. In five years, countries outside OECD can apply for exemptions, but only if their waste management industry meets certain conditions.
Source: www.dpa.com
