EU Weighs Up Tighter Waste Rules To Limit Countries Shipping Rubbish Overseas

The European Commission has proposed a revamp of EU rules on waste shipments to make it harder for member states to offload their trash into poorer countries.

The proposed legislation, which needs approval from European Union countries and the European parliament, is part of Brussels’ plan to reduce pollution and ensure materials like plastic, textiles and metals are reused and recycled, rather than thrown away.

The EU exported around 33 million tonnes of waste last year, around half of which went to poorer non-OECD countries with weaker waste management rules than in the EU – effectively shipping EU pollution abroad.

ESM