DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (06/08) issued by
The Government News Network on 11 January 2008
Developing
countries will be better protected against receiving unwanted
waste from wealthier nations under revised international rules.
The 'Green List' regulation - which covers the export
of non-hazardous recyclable materials from the EU - has been
updated to formally record the wishes of countries outside the
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that
have expressed an opinion about the recyclable materials they
would like to receive. Where a country has not expressed an
opinion, agreement must be given on a case-by-case basis.
The aim is to protect these countries from receiving materials
they do not want, and the change will also help prevent the export
of recyclables to countries which believe they could not process
them in an environmentally sound way.
Complementary changes to the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste
Regulations will come into effect on 5 February this year, and
will make it an offence for anyone to export material against the
specified wishes of non-OECD countries.
Environment Minister Joan Ruddock said:
"Many developing countries want our recyclables because of
the value to their growing manufacturing sectors. There is a
double environmental win from this trade - it makes more
sustainable use of the world's resources, cutting the
consumption of virgin raw materials, while boosting recycling
levels in the UK and reducing our reliance on landfill.
"But it is essential that this important legitimate trade is
carried out in a mutually respectful and beneficial way. It is
completely unacceptable to use it as a cover for dumping unwanted
materials on countries that have no use for them, or cannot
process them efficiently. This revised regulation will help
prevent that happening.
"Defra has worked closely with other UK authorities, the
European Commission, and other Member States, to ensure that the
new Green List regulation is as complete and accurate as possible.
"I am very pleased that it now reflects the current wishes
of countries to which we have a clear duty of responsibility."
Notes for Editors
1. The UNEP Basel Convention on transboundary movements of waste
and their disposal sets out the global control framework for the
import and export of wastes. The EU's obligations under the
Convention, together with those under a related OECD Decision, are
put in place by the Waste Shipments Regulation 1013/2006/EC. The
EC Regulation is given full effect in the UK by the Transfrontier
Shipment of Waste Regulations 2007, which set out offences and
penalties and designate the competent authorities for enforcing
the Waste Shipments Regulation in the UK.
2. The export of waste for disposal (as opposed to recycling)
abroad is illegal. The Government takes the matter extremely
seriously, and the Environment Agency in England and Wales carries
out targeted inspections to prevent the illegal export of waste.
Enforcement action is and has been taken when evidence of illegal
activity is found.
3. The Revised Green List Regulation 1418/2007 came into effect
on 18 December 2007. The Transfrontier Shipment of Waste
(Amendment) Regulations 2008 create offences for failure to comply
with the requirements of the Green List Regulation.
4. The OECD brings together the governments of 30 developed
countries to support sustainable economic growth, boost
employment, raise living standards, maintain financial stablility,
assist other countries' economic development and contribute
to growth in world trade.
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