August 16, 2017 by Steve Eminton

EA updates export guidance for range of materials

Updated guidance relating to the export of packaging, batteries and waste electrical items for recycling has been issued by the Environment Agency.

The guidance relates to the rules surrounding the need to send materials to plants which have “broadly equivalent” status to facilities within the UK.

Globe — The ‘broadly equivalent’ export rules come under producer responsibility legislation (picture: shutterstock)

The rules come under producer responsibility legislation, where on packaging (such as cardboard), for example, export PRNs (packaging waste recovery notes) can be issued subject to meeting the export criteria.

Countries covered by the rules include Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Mexico, Morocco, South Korea, Switzerland, Turkey, the USA and Vietnam.

Licensing

Where the overseas activity is regulated by a licensing regime, the Environment Agency says a copy of the permit is required.

And the Agency explains the rules regarding overseas facilities which have the ISO 14001 environmental standard: “ISO 14001 will only be accepted where a country does not regulate the overseas reprocessing site through a permitting regime. Any ISO 14001must be for the reprocessing site and refer to the reprocessing activity on the certificate.”

For China, acceptable evidence is an import licence (an MEP licence sometimes referred to as SEPA licence). The Agency notes that the copy of the licence provided must be clearly scanned and coloured with the water markings visible.

For India four options are given including the Indian facility having a Pollution Control Board licence or registration for the recycling of plastic waste under the 2011 rules.

EA at Harwich

Publication of the document comes after the Environment Agency carried out an intelligence gathering operation at the Port of Harwich at the beginning of August.

Environment Agency officers inspect a consignment of waste

Harwich 3

The Agency reported that: “Twenty-nine trailers were inspected in total and 18 were found to be carrying waste. In each instance paperwork was examined and in nine cases there were missing or incomplete documents. These were eventually all completed with the support of Environment Agency officers and the vehicles were allowed to continue their journeys.”

“Strong message’

Chris Smith, National Intelligence Manager at the Environment Agency, said: “The sheer volume of material that we found today and prevented from being exported illegally is a big win, but our work isn’t finished. Today’s action sends a strong message that we will track down those involved in illegal waste activity. We intend to continue our inspections of waste at ports across the country to ensure waste being exported is done so legally.

“Exporting waste illegally is harmful to the environment and the economy. It undercuts legitimate businesses, harms human health and the environment in destination countries.”