33 million tons of waste in 2020
EU bans the export of plastic waste to third countries
November 17, 2023, 3:38 p.m
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The images are well known: mountains of plastic waste from Europe are collecting on beaches in the global south. Now the EU wants to “finally take responsibility for its plastic waste,” explains parliamentarian Pernille Weiss. But there could be exceptions.
Plastic waste from the EU will no longer be allowed to end up anywhere in the world in the future. Representatives of the EU 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 Co-operation and Development (OECD), as the EU Parliament announced. This means that plastic waste exports to Africa or large parts of Asia are initially prohibited. However, as the EU states write in a communication, countries outside the OECD have the opportunity to apply for exemptions five years after the new rules come into force. To do this, however, waste management in these countries must meet certain requirements.
With the export ban on plastic waste, the EU legislators primarily want to prevent environmental destruction in third countries caused by waste from the EU, the EU Commission said about the agreement. “The EU will finally take responsibility for its plastic waste,” said EU parliamentarian Pernille Weiss. According to Parliament, the regulation should apply two and a half years after the law comes into force. Parliament and EU states still have to formally approve the agreement.
List of suitable recipient countries
In addition, there will be generally stricter requirements for waste exports in the future. At the end of 2021, the EU Commission proposed tougher rules for waste exports in order to better protect the environment and health. Other regular waste can only 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 announcement, 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. A large part of the waste 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 globally every year. That’s roughly equivalent to a truckload per minute. Animals can eat the garbage and die from it.