Speaking lately at the World Recycling Organization’s International Trade Council session of the Bureau of International Recycling’s (BIR) Convention in Singapore, Sanjay Mehta, director of the Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI), addressed concerns regarding the trade between the EU and India due to the EU’s regulations on the export of waste and scrap. Mr. Mehta said that it was “really disheartening” when developed countries sought to impose restrictions because of fears that India was causing pollution and disruption to the environment, adding, “We should not forget that India is the fastest-growing country in the world. If such regulations are imposed on us, it will impact not only India, but the entire international recycling world.”
According to the EU’s updated Waste Shipments Regulation, as a non-OECD country, India has a deadline of February 21, 2025, to tell the European Commission which material streams it wants to import. The EU insists that what it calls “non-hazardous waste” can be exported only if it is managed “in an environmentally sound manner” by facilities in India which are independently audited.
MRAI fears that, if India does not qualify for EU exports, it will have a severe impact on its members, resulting in the entire recycling industry coming to a grinding halt and imbalanced markets in both India and the EU.