Economic growth and globalisation have led to a worldwide increase of waste transports across borders.
Whether this happens by road, rail, sea or air, waste shipments can create risks for human health and the environment and therefore these are regulated activities.
As a result, waste or recycling materials cannot go anywhere without approved Trans-Frontier Shipment (TFS) documentation in place.
If you are involved in the import or export of waste from or into the UK, you need to be aware that shipments of waste are subject to a range of regulatory controls.
The Basel Convention of 1989 established worldwide notification requirements for the movement of hazardous waste and requires those involved to minimise the generation of such waste and to ensure its environmentally sound management.
Regulations
Regulations governing TFS is implemented in the UK by the Trans-frontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 2007.
TFS regulations control the movement of green list waste (including recyclable materials) and amber list waste (waste requiring control procedures) across borders.
The UK’s TFS regulations state all waste exports must be accompanied by documentation outlining the origin, destination and contents of the shipment. The regulations relate to waste which can legally be shipped for recovery.
Regulations further state that responsibility is shared between producers, importers, brokers and processors, covering the journey from the point of loading to disposal or end of waste status at a regulator approved final destination.
It is basically a legal Duty of Care to ensure your waste is handled safely and in an environmentally sound manner.
What do you need to have in place before you can go-ahead?
- The notifier must first determine if the material is a ‘Green List Waste (a category that is gradually being minimised).
- If not a Green List waste, then notification controls must be followed.
- Written agreement must be sought from regulators of countries of dispatch, transit and receipt.
- Notifiers for a TFS are responsible for paying for the application as well as a requirement to put a Financial Guarantee in place to ensure that funds are available to repatriate the waste should the shipment not be completed.
Other essential requirements include:
- ensuring the competent authority of dispatch has been notified in accordance with Article 4
- the movement document has been completed in accordance with Article 16 or sent to the competent authorities concerned and the consignee in accordance with Article 16(b).
These requirements are not only complex but take a considerable amount of time to comply with all regulations monitored by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in Scotland and the Environment Agency (EA) south of the border.
Our experienced team is fully equipped to manage this. We can provide comprehensive support to help you prepare your TFS application documentation, ensuring that all waste exports are properly documented with details about their origin, destination, and contents.
Contact Ruben today to discuss your TFS application requirements:
Telephone: 01292 610 428
Email: ruben@albion-environmental.co.uk