Changes to Basel Convention make it illegal to ship plastic waste between countries without prior consent, but fears remain over escalating plastic crisis
The UN moved to control the flow of plastic waste around the world on Friday, adopting amendments to the Basel Convention that makes it illegal for waste exporters to ship plastic waste overseas without permission.
In a bid to stop the "epidemic" of plastic waste engulfing poorer countries, 187 UN nations backed the plans to require countries to obtain consent from recipient nations before waste and recyclable plastic can be shipped.
The US, the UK, and Japan are the world's top exporters of plastic waste, with most of the rubbish received by South East Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The waste is meant to be recycled providing an economic boost to developing economies, but many importing nations have seen their fledgling recycling sectors overwhelmed by the influx of materials resulting in widespread dumping and environmental damage.
But although almost all countries - plus more than one million global citizens - backed the plans, the US reportedly lobbied against the changes. The US is not part to the Basel Convention but nevertheless could still be affected by the new rules if it is exporting to nations which are signed up.
Rolph Payet, UN Environment's Executive Secretary of the Basel Convention, said the agreement - spearheaded by Norway - represents a "legally-binding, globally-reaching mechanism for managing plastic waste".
The problem of plastic waste piling up in poor countries has escalated since China enforced a long-trailed threat to end recycling imports to its shores from January 2018.
With China suddenly off-limits for plastic waste exporters, neighbouring markets such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam have found themselves overrun with waste from richer nations, without the infrastructure to process it.
The new rules will take effect over the next year, with Von Hernandez, global coordinator for campaign group Break Free from Plastic, describing them as a "crucial first step" towards stopping developing countries being used as a "dumping ground" for the world's plastic waste.
Under the rules, any companies shipping contaminated, mixed or unrecyclable plastic waste overseas for processing would require approval from the government of the recipient country.
The move is designed to make it harder for operators to trade in waste that is then dumped illegally and ensure companies importing material are properly licensed.