May 22, 2026 16:34

Most provisions of the new EU regulation on waste shipments, adopted on 11 April 2024, have applied since 21 May, with significant implications for the plastics sector.

The central change is the launch of the Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS), designed to track cross-border waste movements within the EU. All shipments of plastic waste subject to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure, including many streams of mixed plastics or plastics that are “not clearly recyclable”, must now be notified, authorised and tracked exclusively through DIWASS, rather than with paper documentation.

This category includes hazardous plastic waste, waste that is contaminated or contains regulated substances, waste destined for disposal, such as landfill or incineration, and unsorted or mixed municipal plastic waste.

For non-hazardous green-listed waste destined for recovery and subject to the Annex VII procedure, a transitional period runs until 31 December 2026. During this period, previous, largely paper-based procedures may still be used.

The aim is to enable real-time tracking of plastic waste sent for recycling or disposal between EU countries, reducing the risk of diversion to unsuitable facilities or non-compliant markets. Exporters must demonstrate that the destination facility is authorised and complies with local environmental standards, while EU authorities may verify waste management capacity and block shipments considered risky.

From 21 November 2026, exports of plastic waste from EU countries to non-OECD countries will be banned. The aim is to stop flows to Asian and African countries that in the past received large quantities of mixed or poorly traceable plastic waste, often managed under critical environmental and social conditions.

Importing hazardous plastic waste and plastic waste that is hard to recycle into the EU from third countries is subject to the “prior notification and consent procedure”. Under this procedure, both the importing and exporting country must authorise the shipment.

The “prior notification and consent procedure” applies also to intra-EU shipments of hazardous plastic waste, and of non-hazardous plastic waste that is difficult to recycle. All intra-EU shipments of non-hazardous plastic waste for recovery are exempt from these new controls. 

According to the European Commission, the introduction of DIWASS will cut red tape, with estimated savings of €1.4 million per year in administrative costs, while helping to combat illegal waste trade, which undermines Europe’s resource security and environmental objectives. Compliance will also be accelerated through automated data submission and real-time shipment tracking.

See also: EU Waste Shipment Regulation

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