The EU wants to curb the export of waste, including hazardous waste. Poland is a leader in their recycling

It is usually scrap, plastic and plastics, materials, paper, glass. As well as hazardous waste such as used batteries, expired medicines or unnecessary electronics. They usually end up outside the EU, to countries such as Turkey or Malaysia.

In 2020, EU waste exports to third countries reached 32.7 million tonnes, representing 16% of the total. global waste trade; EU officials admit that the amount of waste exported from the EU has increased by 75% since 2004. Waste is also transported within the EU – according to statistics, as much as 67 million tonnes are transported annually between Member States. The problem is that they can pose a threat to health and the environment, especially if they are not properly secured and controlled. And this is often the case, because tons of waste are exported illegally in the EU. However, EU lawmakers want to change that.

The EU responsible for its waste

In mid-November 2021, the European Commission presented a plan to reform EU rules on waste shipments. On Tuesday, the European Parliament overwhelmingly (594 “for” and 5 “against”) supported these changes, voting for stricter rules on the transport of waste outside the EU. EU lawmakers want facilitate the movement of reusable and recyclable waste within the European Union and thus achieve the EU’s objectives of a circular economy. At the same time, MEPs supported a clear ban on the shipment of all waste for disposal within the EU, and the export of hazardous waste from the EU to non-OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries would also be prohibited. The export of non-hazardous waste for recovery would be possible only to those countries outside the Organization that consent to it and demonstrate that they are actually able to process it. The EP also wants a ban on the export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries and a phasing out of exports to OECD countries within four years.

– Our waste ends up in landfills outside the EU, as well as in waters, in the seas, after all, most of it is plastic. We need to solve this problem and promote a circular economy in the EU, said Danish MEP Pernille Weiss from the European People’s Party (EPP), rapporteur on the subject on behalf of the EP, during the debate in the EP on the eve of the vote.

“We are exporting an unimaginable amount of plastic from the EU. This must end! – assessed the German Social Democrat Tiemo Woelken. Also the Spanish MEP Susana Solis Perez from the Renew group noted that the EU should focus on improving the recovery and reuse, and not only the export of waste, because these are raw materials that can still be used.

“Europe must be responsible for the waste it produces,” admitted EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius, who was present during the discussion.

PiS MEP Anna Zalewska agreed with him, but added that she hopes that “the EU will not have to be ashamed that it makes declarations, then exports garbage to the whole world and gets rid of the problem.” According to the Polish politician, the EU should require producers, in particular, to deal with the waste they produce.

Ban on the export of hazardous waste

The European Court of Auditors (ECA), the EU’s audit body, also calls for a ban on the export of toxic waste from the EU. In the report published on Monday (16.01.23), the ECA warns that despite the regulations, the amount of hazardous waste generated in the EU since 2004 has been steadily increasing. In 2018, 102 million tonnes of hazardous waste were generated in the EU, which accounted for 4% of the total. waste at all. What’s worse, some of them can’t be counted. – EU data on the management of hazardous waste covers only 79% of waste. of this waste. The fate of the remaining 21% is unknown. This is worrying,” said Eva Lindstroem of the ECA.

We are talking here, among others about explosive, irritating or toxic substances that may be hazardous to health and the environment. 75 percent of them come from industry, including sewage treatment plants, metal processing, construction and mining. But a large part of them is also generated in households, such as the already mentioned medicines, used batteries or the remains of cleaning agents. Most of them go abroad, some unlawfully, because the illegal trade in hazardous waste is still very profitable, with annual revenues estimated at EUR 1.5 to 1.8 billion. “The EU therefore needs to address this issue,” Lindstroem said. According to the auditors, the EU should fight hard against the illegal export and trade of hazardous waste, improve its classification, ensure traceability, and promote its recycling, including the recovery of raw materials from batteries or electronic devices. Especially since there are still large differences between EU countries when it comes to recycling hazardous waste. And so, among the countries that recycle, the majority of this type of waste on their territory are Greece, Croatia, Denmark and Poland. Other countries, such as Bulgaria and Ireland, recycle only 2% of their waste. this type of waste. The rest – as well as other EU waste – is exported abroad.

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