21 Nov 2023 --- The European Commission, Parliament and Council have pledged a blanket ban on all plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries after years of pressure from environmentalists and civil society groups. While the move, which is yet to be ratified, is being celebrated, some groups claim it does not go far enough. Negotiators at the Parliament and Council reached a “provisional political agreement” to alter the EU’s Waste Shipment Regulation, which is now awaiting formal approval by both institutions. The changes are expected to make exporting plastic waste to non-OECD countries prohibited within 2.5 years, and obligations for exporting plastic waste to OECD countries will be strengthened.
