The EU Waste Shipment Regulation: Implications and opportunities for partner countries

Ahead of an upcoming deadline, the EU-SWITCH-Asia programme together with the European Environmental Bureau discussed the update of the EU Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR). According to the regulation, non-OECD countries willing to continue receiving waste from the EU need to submit their request to the Commission by 21 February 2025. The webinar informed on the amendments of the regulation and discussed the impact on the global south, specifically the Asia and Pacific region. 

WSR contribute to the Circular Economy Transition 

The Waste Shipment Regulation supports the transition to a circular economy by promoting sustainable waste management practices, encouraging resource recovery, and ensuring that waste is treated responsibly, both within the EU and in countries receiving waste from the EU.

A presentation by the European Environmental Bureau highlighted that the updated waste regulations came into force in May 2024 and will be implemented gradually, starting from May 2026 and continuing until May 2027, while the old regulations remain in effect. The Waste Shipment Regulation ensures that the EU does not export its waste challenges to third countries and contributes to environmentally sound management of waste. The export of non-hazardous waste, also known as 'green-listed' waste, will generally be prohibited to non-OECD countries – this includes plastic waste which is hard to recycle, mixed municipal waste, all waste for disposal. 

The regulation does not completely prohibit waste shipment, but it does set stricter rules to limit the export of waste categories. Countries interested in managing waste sustainably can apply for approval to import waste as the EU will enforce stricter rules on non-hazardous waste exports for recovery. For exports for recovery, new rules will apply from 21 May 2027 onwards. Non-OECD countries willing to continue receiving non-hazardous waste from the EU need to submit their request to the Commission by 21 February 2025. With the new Regulation, procedures will move away from a paper-based approach to an electronic one. A central EU system will ensure the smooth operation of this exchange from May 2026.

Impact of the Waste Shipment Regulation on Asia and the Pacific

The economies of many countries in the Asia Pacific region, particularly those in the global south, are discussing the impact of the EU's Waste Shipment Regulation due to their historical link on EU waste imports. The region is diverse, with countries like Japan, South Korea, and Singapore excelling in recycling and economic innovation, while others like the Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia have waste management systems largely driven by informal workers and developing infrastructure. 

The webinar pointed out that this diversity could be a strength, with high-tech countries leading in waste processing innovation and countries with growing economies and large workforces scaling these solutions. These countries could turn waste into valuable secondary materials for both domestic use and global trade.

WSR notification can nudge actors to invest in infrastructure 

While tighter controls on legal waste export could disrupt relevant industries, the Waste Shipment Regulations could also prompt these countries to improve their own waste management systems and accelerate the circular economy. The notification requirement of the EU Waste Shipment Regulation could encourage countries to build robust recycling and circular economy infrastructures, a speaker noted. This could lead to the development of high-quality secondary materials that meet not only EU, but global standards. Some speakers envisioned that the Asia Pacific region could become a hub for circular economy technologies scalable across the region, processing materials at scale and encouraging trade across borders.

Waste is a resource that is often misplaced 

The EU Waste Shipping Regulation could also help building secondary materials markets. Speakers at the webinar identified three key strategies that promoting the use of secondary materials: 

• Harmonizing Circular Economy Policies: This involves aligning policies across different regions, similar to what the EU is doing with the EU Green Deal. It also includes integrating informal waste workers into formal systems through training, fair protection, and improved working conditions. This is important as many waste-related tasks are performed by informal workers who need protection.
• Investing in Systems: Encouraging public-private partnerships can enhance recycling infrastructure, market development, and waste collection systems. This could potentially improve the quality and value of secondary materials.
• Shifting Mindsets: There needs to be a change in how we view waste. More effort should be put into segregating waste at the source, making it easier and more cost-effective to process, recycle, or repurpose into secondary materials. Everyone should be involved in this process.

Waste is a resource that is often misplaced – a speaker summarised. The EU Waste Shipping Regulation triggers consumers and producers to rethink our how we deal with these resources. 

To replay the webinar please visit YouTube: EU Waste Shipment Regulation: Implications and opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region