Depending on the type and characteristics of waste and planned waste management operation, transboundary movement of waste can be carried out in compliance with the EC Regulation No. 1013/2006:
- Article 4 , with a written authorisation, including hazardous waste and waste regulated by an international agreement (Article 3(1))
- Taking into account the the general requirements provided for in Article 18 (Article 3(2)).
Restrictions and requirements
- As of 1 January 2021, new requirements apply to the transboundary movement of plastic waste.
- Movement of waste, intended for disposal, outside the EU and EFTA countries is prohibited.
- Waste can be transported to a member state of OECD only for recovery purposes.
Procedural rules
Plastijäätmete veo protseduurid | 323.38 KB | pdf (Transport procedures for plastic waste)
A waste transport operator engaged in transboundary movement of waste must have a valid registration of a waste handler.
List of transboundary transport permits of waste issued by the Environmental Board.
In order to prevent and ensure more effective control of illegal waste shipments between countries, the Supervisory Development Department of the Environmental Board, in cooperation with the Tax and Customs Board, prepares an inspection plan (in compliance with Article 50 (2a) of the EC Regulation No. 1013/2006), pursuant to which supervision is carried out for:
- Waste management facilities
- Undertakings
- Brokers and dealers
- Recovery to be carried out
- Disposal procedure
The inspection plan is updated at least every three years.
Page on transboundary shipments in the EU
Transboundary movement of controlled types of waste
In case of export of waste, a person organising the transboundary movement of waste is obliged to apply for a written permission from the Environmental Board within the framework of the following operations:
- Disposal of all types of waste
- Recovery pursuant to Regulation No. 1013/2006/EC:
- Types of waste listed in Annex IV, including types of waste listed in Annex II and VIII to the Basel Convention
- Types of waste in Annex IVA
- Types of waste not classified in any entry in Annex III, IIIB, IV and IVA;
- Mixtures of waste listed in Annex IIIA but not classified in any entry in Annex III, IIIB, IV or IVA.
Application
- Prepare and submit the application in the information system Kotkas
- A state fee must be paid for reviewing the application for a transport permit for transboundary movement of waste
- Documents are prepared and transmitted in the information system
- A notification of transboundary movement of waste
- Format of an accompanying document
- Sample contract
- Sample financial security
To be downloaded:
Transboundary movement of the Green listed waste
Pursuant to 1013/2006/EC (Article 3(2)), the Green listed, i.e. non-controlled waste is:
- Types of waste in Annex III and IIIB
- Mixtures of waste consisting of two or more types of waste listed in Annex III and which are environmentally safe upon recovery and are in compliance with Article 58 in Annex IIIA to the list.
General requirements
Documents accompanying a waste shipment:
- Filled format of Annex VII (Annex VII) to Regulation No. 1013/2006/EC
- Agreement concluded between the person organising the shipment of waste and the waste consignee of recyclable waste.
The general requirements of Article 18 of the Regulation No. 1013/2006/EC apply to the Green listed waste in the following quantities:
- Waste shipments of more than 20 kg intended for recovery
- Any waste of up to 25 kg intended for laboratory tests
- Packaging of more than 4 kg on which deposit has been established in Estonia
The export of the Green listed waste for recovery purposes to third countries that do not belong to the OECD is subject to Regulation No. 1418/2007/EC.
Transboundary movement of plastic waste
The Conference of the Parties of the Basel Convention decided at its 14th Session in May 2019, decision BC-14/12, to change the classification of plastic waste by determining which plastic waste is treated as hazardous waste, which as non-hazardous waste or as waste requiring special consideration.
New rules came into force on 1 January 2021 for the import, export and transboundary movement of plastic waste between Member States.
New codes were added for plastic waste to the Regulation on Shipments of Waste (1013/2006): Y48, A3210, B3011 and AC300, EU48 and EU3011.
Different procedures apply depending on the type and destination (EU member state, OECD, non-OECD) of plastic waste.
Guidelines on the plastic waste can be found on the website of the European Commission.
- Exporting hazardous plastic waste (A3210) and plastic waste that is hard to recycle (Y48) to non-OECD third countries will be banned.
- Exporting clean, non-hazardous plastic waste (which is destined for recycling) (B3011) to non-OECD third countries will only be authorised under specific conditions. The importing country must indicate which rules apply to such imports to the European Commission. Until the renewal of Regulation No. 1418/2007, “prior notification and consent procedure” shall be applied to the export of waste with code B3011, i.e. a written authorisation must be applied for.
- Exporting hazardous plastic waste (AC300) and plastic waste that is hard to recycle (Y48) to OECD countries will be subject to the “prior notification and consent procedure”, i.e. a written authorisation must be applied for.
- Importing hazardous plastic waste (A3210) and plastic waste that is hard to recycle (Y48) from third countries will be subject to the “prior notification and consent procedure”, i.e. a written authorisation must be applied for.
- The “prior notification and consent procedure” will apply to shipments of hazardous plastic waste (AC300) and of plastic waste that is hard to recycle (EU48), i.e. a written authorisation must be applied for.
- Requirements of Article 18, i.e. procedure of the Green listed waste for clean, non-hazardous plastic waste (intended for recycling) (EU3011).
The materials of the "Plastic is Forever" campaign of the Plast Forum of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions can be found at: http://www.brsmeas.org/MediaHub/Campaigns/PlasticisForever/tabid/9151/language/en-US/Default.aspx
If you have any questions, please contact:
Katrin Kaare
Chief Specialist
