Two staff members of the Washington-based Institute for the Scrap Recycling Industry (ISRI) examined how the Basel Convention trade restrictions could harm recycling efforts and presented the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) Fall Provided comments on the E-Scrap Committee. round table event. The conference was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) in mid-October.
ISRI’s Vice President of International Trade, Fred Fisher, said the addition of plastics to the Basel Convention’s Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure has made a significant impact on how the Convention is structured, its effectiveness, and its future direction. He told delegations there were growing calls for a review.
During a presentation on the U.S. position on PIC, Fischer said in June that future country-to-country shipments of electronic scrap from 2025 would require similar notices and regulations to those introduced for plastics in 2021. We said it was agreed to have an authentication system. The United States is not a party to the treaty, but participates as an observer, Fisher said, limiting the ability of US exporters to trade with non-OECD countries.
ISRI President Robin Wiener said the US government is considering ratifying the treaty. “The ability to influence has its advantages [by being in it], but I have major concerns about how it’s structured and how it’s progressing. She thanked the BIR for its “long-standing commitment to the treaty.”
Fischer said the value of the e-scrap trade subject to Basel regulations is difficult to quantify, but ISRI estimates a figure of $23 billion in 2021, which includes a includes approximately $7 billion of OECD exports. He expressed concern that electrical or electronic equipment is defined as “waste,” which includes components, subassemblies and consumables that are part of the primary equipment. “The product list and specific definitions of the products included are being discussed in a working group of technical and legal experts,” he said.
Fischer continued, “Work is underway to determine whether to include all or only certain categories of commodities and ‘fractions’ under the control of the Convention. Fischer called PIC a cumbersome procedure with a large amount of paperwork requiring pre-approval for shipment in all transit countries. “This actually has the effect of deterring potential deals. In Basel, everything is a waste unless it is. It misrepresents it: scrap has value.”
ISRI will also dispose of used equipment intended for repair, refurbishment or reuse that is not currently considered “waste” under the Convention, provided that it meets certain warranty, handling and documentation requirements. Fischer said he is also concerned about possible changes to
The EU, according to ISRI, is proposing amendments that would allow countries to apply import and export controls to shipments of all kinds of used goods intended for repair or refurbishment, not just plastics and electronics. “The U.S. government and most industry groups oppose the EU proposal. Given the United States’ status as a party to the treaty, this means that the amendment is likely to be adopted.”
Fischer said the Basel Convention is both an environmental and trade deal, but it is largely led by environmentalists. “International trade professionals and customs officials need to be more involved in negotiations to improve the effectiveness of the agreement,” Fisher said.
According to Fisher, there has been no fundamental review of the treaty’s impact for many years. “They added electronics with little discussion or thought. [whether] What they do is effective. We want environmental stewardship of our planet and responsible business, but we need facts and we want to see more of it. ”
Jan Visser, Chairman of the Board of Germany-based Mirec Benelux/TSR Recycling GMBH and Co. KG, spoke of the increased risk of fires caused by batteries. His company said he suffered a major fire in 2018 and is now working with him on a video about fire risks and fire prevention.
The film shows how easily a fire can break out even in an unhandled transport truck. It also provides insight into how redesigned recycling facilities and smarter detection technology can reduce the impact of fires. After the video, Visser said recyclers can meet the challenge by managing risk during the collection phase, dismantling batteries from equipment, and more rigorous inspection and documentation of handling processes.
The session also included a presentation on electrical and electronic reuse by Stavros Mylonas, Managing Director of SafeIMS in Dubai. Mylonas has set the approach, systems and procedures required for reuse as an effective business proposition. He said recyclers need not fear expanding reuse, arguing that it is a complementary activity rather than a competition and provides an additional source of income for recyclers.
The BIR Autumn Roundtable was held at the InterContinental Festival City in Dubai.
