The legislative framework for the import and export of waste in the European Union is set out in Regulation (EC) No. 1013/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The purpose of the Regulation is to implement measures for the supervision and control of shipments of waste in order to ensure that the movement, recovery, or disposal of waste, is managed in an environmentally sound manner, for the protection of the environment and human health.
The objective of this system of control on waste shipments is to ensure that not only is waste moved to another country with that country’s advance knowledge, but that wastes from the EU are not dumped in less developed countries. It should be noted that 83% of plastic packaging waste funded under Extended Producer Responsibility arrangements is recycled in Europe, predominantly in the UK, Germany, and Poland with 15% recycled in Ireland and the balance, 2%, outside Europe.
I am committed to tackling the problems associated with single use plastics and my Department is working to transpose and implement EU Directive 2019/904, commonly referred to as the Single Use Plastics Directive, at the earliest possible date. This Directive will enable the prohibition of certain single use items being placed on the market including polystyrene food and beverage containers, plastic cutlery and plates, straws and balloon sticks. I am currently exploring what measures, including the possible introduction of levies, will best deliver on this ambition.
Waste management practices are evolving and changing in response to the Circular Economy Package and the EU Plastics Strategy and I will soon be bringing forward an ambitious new waste policy which will reflect and exceed the level of ambition in the waste and climate areas at EU level. This will help drive innovation to improve plastic recycling quality and standards and to increase domestic waste treatment capacity overall, thereby reducing our reliance and dependence on markets outside of the EU.
