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24 countries apply to EU to be able to import non-hazardous waste once EU restrictions enter into force 21 May 2027
The new EU Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR) already forbids the export of mixed and contaminated plastics listed as Y48 to non-OECD countries. It also imposes a strict ban on exports of Y49 (non-hazardous electronic waste) as of January 1st of this year. And, thanks to a strong push by environmental organizations, the new WSR will impose a full ban on the export of B3011 listed plastic waste as of 21 November 2026. Thus, plastic waste imports will not be a matter of choice for importing countries. For other non-hazardous waste categories, exports to non-OECD countries will be prohibited from 21 May 2027 unless those countries have been added to an approved list. To get on the approved list, the importing countries had to apply by the end of February. Upon tabulating the requests, the European Commission stated that “24 requests were received for inclusion on the list of countries eligible to import non-hazardous waste from the EU after 21 May 2027 from Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, El Salvador, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Nigeria, North-Macedonia, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Ukraine and Vietnam.” It is too soon to say what types of waste streams these countries applied for, but again, this exercise has little to do with listed plastic wastes which will be fully banned after November 2026.
Starbucks cuts plastic use in US, while Coke may increase it
As detailed by Grist, Starbucks announced that they will be changing from polypropylene plastic cups to compostable fiber cups with a bioplastic liner in many US states. “This is a clear admission that polypropylene cups are not recyclable” said Jan Dell of The Last Beach Cleanup, as quoted in the Grist article. Starbucks has a goal of making their food serviceware recyclable or compostable by 2030. This change comes after an analysis by CBS, building on work by The Last Beach Cleanup, used GPS trackers glued to plastic cups placed in Starbucks recycling bins to reveal that most of their recycled cups ended up being dumped or incinerated. Starbucks has donated millions of dollars to promote the myth of polypropylene recycling through donations to the NexGen Consortium and The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition. Meanwhile, Coke has stated it may increase plastic use if Trump’s tariffs raise the cost of aluminum cans.
Plastic as toxic cooking fuel
A recent study is bringing much needed attention to the use of plastic as a fuel source for cooking. Researchers looked at fuel use in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, finding that a lack of affordable safer alternatives is driving the burning of plastic waste, which is plentiful. The burning releases highly toxic dioxins, furans and heavy metals, which can lead to lung diseases. The study notes that potential strategies to address the problem are subsidies for cleaner fuels, better waste management in slum areas, and education campaigns on the dangers of burning plastic and on affordable alternatives. A 2022 video by Euronews shows how polypropylene plastic bags have been burned indoors in Nigeria for cooking.
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