Waste shipments

Legislation on waste transportation is a complex mix of international legislation (UNEP Basel Convention, OECD decision) and EU legislation. The EU is a major exporter of waste. In 2020, the EU exported almost 33 million tons of waste (mainly ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal, paper and plastic waste). Exports of hazardous waste to non-OECD countries are prohibited. 67 million tons of waste were transported between member states and 16 million tons were imported into the EU. After the Chinese ban on plastic waste imports in 2017, the EU exported millions of tons of plastic waste to other Asian countries with lower social and environmental standards than the EU. There are significant problems with the treatment of EU waste not only in non-OECD countries, but also in OECD countries (in particular Turkey). I voted in favor of this resolution, which aims to improve EU waste management.

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