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Waste exports: better protection for developing countries

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.

Further information

Page published: 11 January 2008