The First International Management Conference on Illegal Waste Shipments, organised by the European network of environmental regulators IMPEL, is to take place in Prague from Wednesday to Friday, 16-18 March.
”There is a need for regulators to act together and target illegal activities. “
– Roy Watkinson, EA
It will look at ways in which environmental regulators, police and customs across Europe can work together more effectively to catch and prosecute criminals who export waste illegally to countries such as India, Pakistan and Nigeria.
The conference is the first of its kind, but comes at a time when there is increasing international concern at illegal export of electronic waste from Europe to non-OECD countries in the Far East, Indian sub-continent, West Africa and China.
Hazardous waste management policy manager, Roy Watkinson said: “There is a need for regulators to act together and target illegal activities. Better information on how big a problem illegal activity is across Europe will help us all assess where our priorities and resource needs for detection and enforcement should be focused. In the meantime we will need to take action where we uncover evidence in specific cases.”
Alida Oppers, director of administrative affairs at the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment in the Netherlands, which is leading on organisation of the IMPEL conference said: “The Illegal export of waste is real problem that affects the whole of Europe.
“There is evidence that it is a growing problem and that some illegal activity is highly organized. Combating this requires co-ordinated responses from a wide range of enforcement agencies across the EU.”
A report compiled by the Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling (ICER) has already estimated that some 23,000 tonnes of electronic waste are being shipped illegally from the UK without the proper authorisations from the Environment Agency.
Hazardous
Under existing rules it is illegal to send any hazardous electrical or electronic waste to a non-OECD or developing country for disposal or recovery. Waste electronic equipment containing hazardous material may be exported for minor repair, but this should first be approved by the Environment Agency.
Liz Parkes, head of waste regulation at the Environment Agency, which commissioned the ICER study, has said: “There is a legitimate market in Europe and beyond for used equipment such as computers and fridges. For example there is very large demand for second hand products in China, which following minor repair can be re-used.”
Rules
However Ms Parkes also stressed: “There are strict rules setting out how waste electrical equipment may be exported and where it can legally be sent. This report shows companies in England and Wales are not always following the rules or are unaware of the rules. We will tackle any illegal export activity we find.
“We have set up a special enforcement project to look at the problem in England and Wales and internationally we are working with eleven other European Member States on a project that will see inspection and enforcement stepped up at 25 ports around Europe.”
The Environment Agency has established a dedicated enforcement team that will step up the number of random inspections carried out at ports across England and Wales and prosecute offenders where there is evidence of illegal activity.
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Workshops
It is also working closely with local authorities and industry to arrange a series of regional workshops on the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive and Trans Frontier Shipments which are to be held in Manchester, Birmingham, London and Cardiff in March.
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