(Strasbourg/17.01.2023) In a vote on waste exports, the European Parliament today voted in Strasbourg to stop exporting plastic waste in the near future and only export remaining waste materials to third countries in strictly controlled quantities.

The European Parliament has thus spoken out in favor of a general ban on plastic waste exports from 2027. What's more, exports should no longer be shipped to countries that lack suitable facilities and methods to recycle waste in accordance with European environmental and health standards. The member of the Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP) in the European Parliament welcomes this result: "This is an important step for global climate and environmental protection. Shipping our waste to other countries not only causes huge amounts of CO2 emissions. Careful handling of waste is also crucial in view of the chemicals it contains. Abroad, waste is often incinerated to generate energy instead of being recycled, even though this causes lasting damage to people and nature."

The vote is part of the amendment of a complex legal situation arising from international agreements such as the Basel UNEP Convention, OECD decisions and EU law. According to this, the export of other waste will only be permitted if the recipient countries comply with the OECD's Environmental Sound Management of Waste (ESM) measures through appropriate health and environmental protection. Accordingly, exports to OECD countries will need to be monitored and importing countries that are not OECD members will be required to provide evidence. Irrespective of this, in future all companies should be checked for ESM before European waste is even exported there. The ÖDP politician commented: "With the help of these standards, we not only ensure that our waste processing becomes more sustainable, but also support the importing countries in their transformation towards a circular economy. If the same standards apply there as within the EU, this protects both the local environment and the health of local employees."

The legislative amendment also aims to take tougher action against illegal waste exports, including uniform European criteria for penalties, as well as increased intra-European trade in waste, where the recycling infrastructure is better developed. Imports into the EU of 16 million tons in 2020 were offset by intra-European trade of 67 million tons of waste in 2022.

In contrast, the EU exported almost 22 million tons of waste to third countries, mainly iron and other scrap metal, paper and plastic waste. The export of hazardous waste to non-OECD countries is already completely banned. In 2017, China imposed a ban on the import of plastic waste, meaning that the EU has since exported it to other Asian countries where standards are also low. Both there and in OECD countries, particularly Turkey, there are considerable problems with the treatment of EU waste. "We can no longer afford the shameful European motto 'out of sight, out of mind' when dealing with waste," concluded the MEP.