If you import or export waste you must first check that you are allowed. Importing and exporting certain types of waste to and from some countries is banned.
Waste considered high risk under waste shipment controls is strictly regulated. To export or import this waste you need the consent of the countries involved. This consent is called a notification control.
The definition of hazardous waste for waste shipment controls may be different from the definition in the hazardous/special waste regulations.
Can you import or export waste covered by notification controls for safe disposal?
Waste disposal includes incineration without energy generation, landfill and permanent storage of waste.
The import and export of any waste for disposal is banned except in a few limited circumstances.
If you intend to import or export waste for disposal you must contact your competent authority.
If you are in Northern Ireland you can import or export hazardous waste from the Republic of Ireland for disposal:
- in a specially engineered landfill
- by incineration
- by physicochemical treatment.
This is subject to notification controls. You must apply to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) for permission and send them the correct paperwork.
NIEA: Transfrontier shipments of waste
Can you import or export waste covered by notification controls for recovery?
Waste recovery is recycling, reclaiming and regenerating substances from all or part of waste, for example converting waste into a raw material or using it to generate energy.
Before moving any notifiable waste you must always contact your competent authority.
Importing waste covered by notification controls - what you must do
If you want to import waste covered by notification controls you must:
- apply to the competent authority in the country the waste is being exported from and pay the correct fee
EU: List of European Union competent authorities (Adobe PDF- 217KB)
Basel Convention: List of competent authorities worldwide (MS Word - 329KB)
- get permission from the competent authorities of the country the waste is being sent to or from and any countries the waste passes through
- have a financial guarantee to cover the costs of dealing with the waste if things go wrong, including the cost of returning the waste and treatment, and have insurance against third party damage liability
- draw up a contract for waste recovery with the business arranging the waste shipment, including arrangements to return or store the waste if you are unable to complete the transfer
- make sure the waste is transported in a safe and environmentally sound way
- avoid mixing waste types and use the correct European Waste Catalogue (EWC) waste codes and Basel Convention code for each consignment
- check and keep evidence that the receivers have recovered the waste in an environmentally sound way using similar methods to those used in the EU
- keep all documents for at least three years.
If you are importing waste, the competent authority for the country of dispatch (origin) will send the notification package to your competent authority.
Comply with the REACH Regulation
If you import waste from outside the EU and recover materials and chemical substances from it you may need to comply with the REACH (Restriction, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals) Regulation.
If you recover one tonne or more of a substance from imported waste in a calendar year, and the substance is not exempt, you must pre-register or register the substance with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
Recovering substances from waste
Further information
Environment Agency: Notification controls
NIEA: Notification controls
SEPA: Notification procedures
Safer Waste Cleaner World - An introduction to moving waste between countries(Adobe PDF – 78 KB)
In this guideline:
Do international waste shipment controls apply to you?
Importing or exporting green list waste
Importing or exporting waste under notification controls
Waste import and export competent authorities
Further information on waste import and export
Waste import and export legislation
