OECD countries have agreed to update rules on the export of hazardous plastic waste for recycling in line with international changes so that advance consent from destination countries will be required ahead of shipping.
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OECD countries make partial progress updating rules on international shipping of plastic waste
However, they did not reach consensus on updated arrangements for the export of non-hazardous plastic waste, which will go under review in 2024.
Therefore, all OECD countries will need to secure permission from destination countries before shipping hazardous plastic waste, there will be no OECD-specific controls on shipping non-hazardous plastic waste between member countries.
While each OECD country can decide what controls to apply to shipments of non-hazardous plastic waste, they have committed to inform the OECD Secretariat of their decisions. Non-hazardous plastic waste includes pure single-polymer and mixed plastic waste.
OECD members held a series of meetings between July 2019 and July 2020 to discuss whether and how to update rules on plastic waste shipped between member countries in light of amendments concerning plastic waste made in May 2019 to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, which governs waste shipments internationally.
Roughly two per cent of the approximately 360 million tonnes of plastic waste produced globally each year is exported for treatment according to UN trade data. Total volumes of traded plastic waste plunged after China introduced Operation National Sword, but shipments surged to alternative destinations.
The update to the OECD rules means hazardous plastic wastes will remain subject to the OECD’s ‘Amber’ control procedure, whereby shipment is dependent on an advance consent procedure, but for non-hazardous plastic waste, each OECD country retains its right to control the waste in question in line with domestic and international law. The situation for non-hazardous plastic wastes will be reviewed in 2024 and the OECD will provide all appropriate support to its members in the hope that it will be possible to reach an agreement.
