EU agrees to ban exports of waste plastic to poor countries

The European Union will introduce a ban on the export of plastic waste to poorer countries outside the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This decision follows an agreement between the European Parliament and the governments of the Union’s member states.

To come into effect, the new provision will need official approval from the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, but the text has been agreed upon, and final approval appears to be a formality.

The ban aims to prevent the risk of plastic exported for recycling being inadequately managed in destination countries due to infrastructural or legislative deficiencies, leading to environmental dispersion and contamination.

There will also be stricter controls on plastic exports.

The ban will apply to countries outside the OECD, including 38 of the world’s wealthiest nations. Simultaneously, more stringent controls on plastic exports to OECD countries will be implemented.

The prohibition is set to take effect in 2026. After five years, a non-OECD country wishing to resume the import of European plastic can only do so by demonstrating to the European Commission that it manages waste appropriately.

A significant portion of plastic waste produced in the European Union is incinerated, with only a tiny percentage effectively recycled, both within and outside the Union. The new measures could increase plastic exports to OECD countries, such as Turkey, currently the largest importer of European plastic waste.

Other nations involved in this trade include Indonesia and Malaysia, both known for their significant contributions to marine plastic pollution. However, from 2026, they will no longer be able to import plastic from European Union countries.

Source: Green Me

Click here to read the original news report: https://www.greenmebrasil.com/informarse/lixo-e-reciclagem/84875-a-uniao-europeia-vai-proibir-a-exportacao-de-residuos-plasticos-para-paises-mais-pobres/

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