Waste Crime - Waste Risks: Gaps in Meeting the Global Waste Challenge

OECD Decision

Examples

Appendix 1 (identical to Annex I of the Basel Convention) Categories of wastes to be controlled (Y codes)

Asbestos, waste containing PCB or arsenic compounds

Appendix 2 (identical to Annex III of the Basel Convention) List of hazardous characteristics

Explosive, corrosive, or toxic

Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland). In 2009, only 84 000 tonnes of notified wastes were exported from the EU to non-OECD countries. One example of such waste is agricul- ture sheeting for recovery purposes (EUROSAI 2013). It should be noted that export of hazardous wastes from EU/OECD to non-OECD is banned; therefore it is not subject to notification or licensing. The United States is not a Party to the Basel Convention. There are however federal regulations in place that regulate the import and export of certainwaste streams, such as cathode ray tubes. As an OECD country, the United States is also bound by provisions laid down in the OECD Decision on Transboundary Movements of Wastes Destinated for Recovery Operations. Parties to the Basel Convention can only trade waste with non-Parties in cases where bilateral or multilateral agreements are in place, ensuring an equally sound management structure for transboundary movements of waste, as included in the Basel Convention. In Asia, many countries have adopted regulations prohibiting or restricting the import of hazardous and other wastes that are, in some cases, even more stringent than the requirements of the Basel Convention. However, due to the need for resources and raw materials for their development, many of them allow the import of second-hand materials and used electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). For example, China and Vietnam regulate the import and export of scraps and second-hand EEE through permits. Yet most of the countries that allow the import of scraps or second-hand EEE do not have more specific require- ments for distinguishing scraps and second-hand EEE, rubber/ tires, plastic, and metal scraps from wastes. This leads to an enormous “grey area” for distinguishing legal from illegal waste shipments and makes enforcement very difficult. Appendix 3 List of wastes subject to the green control procedure (in general, the non-hazardous wastes are listed here) Appendix 4 List of wastes subject to the amber control procedure (in general, the hazardous wastes are listed in this appendix)

Glass fibre, electrical assemblies consisting only of metals or alloys, or metal-bearing wastes

Used blasting grid, chlorofluorocarbons, or sewage sludge

To address the grey area, some countries have set certain criteria for the percentage of waste contents (allowable percentage of contamination) in shipments. For example, China’s allowable percentage of contaminated wastes in a shipment is the following:

0.5% 1.0% 1.5% 2.0%

Waste wood, waste paper

Waste steel, non-ferrous metals, motors, cables, and assorted metals

Refining residue, waste textiles, compressed auto

Scrap plastics, PET beverage bottles

However, inconsistency in the regulations between the exporting and the importing countries pose challenges for effectively controlling illegal waste trafficking. For example, EU countries may allow a certain percentage of contam- inated waste to be exported to other countries, while the importing countries may have different criteria. Indonesia has adopted a “zero tolerance” policy for contaminated waste. If any contamination is found, a shipment has to turn back to the country of export. This can lead to a dispute between the exporting country and the importing country, since a shipment that is legal in one country might be illegal in the other country. Clear criteria for and a consistent understanding of the allowed percentage of polluted waste may be helpful for both exporting countries and importing countries.

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