Posted on 29 Oct 2024
The first deadline for non-OECD countries to meet the EU Waste Shipments Regulation is less than four months away, Kallanish notes.
The countries are required to register with the European Commission by 21 February next year as the first step if they want to continue importing waste of all materials including ferrous scrap from the EU, sources at the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) say.
Following registration, the countries’ imports of waste will be assessed to make sure that the processing of these materials complies with environmentally-sound practices and meet with standards set by the EU.
These criteria include details such as treatment capacities and recycling rates. “Non-OECD country imports may be banned if registration with the European Commission is not processed in a timely and satisfactory manner,” a BIR spokesperson says.
The first list of approved non-OECD countries which export scrap materials from the EU will be finalised and released by 21 November 2026, with further updates to the list likely to follow in subsequent years.
The BIR is working with its members in supporting and explaining the terms and procedures for the EU shipment regulations.
“We have shown the draft and documents to and are receiving feedback from our members,” the spokesman says.
The final version of the regulations will be shown on Tuesday and endorsed by members at the ongoing BIR World Recycling Convention in Singapore.
Conversely, OECD countries including Turkey will have to comply with criteria in how they are managing waste. These include adequate enforcement measures and adhering to audits. Failure to do so may mean the banning of import of waste, including ferrous scrap, Kallanish understands.
Source:Kallanish
