Basel Convention

UK: Environment Agency Updates Waste Export Standards for Indonesia and Malaysia After Malaysian WEEE Import Ban

The UK has updated waste export requirements for Southeast Asia, highlighting a total ban on electronic waste (WEEE) imports into Malaysia starting February 2026. Companies must urgently audit disposal chains to reroute WEEE and ensure Indonesian plastic exports meet tightened licensing and 2% contamination thresholds to maintain producer responsibility compliance.

5 Apr 2026, 05:51gov.ukUnited KingdomIndonesiaMalaysia

England Updates Charges For International Waste Shipment Notifications

England's Environment Agency has updated international waste shipment notification charges, effective April 1, 2026, introducing annual CPI-linked adjustments. Businesses must account for rising operational costs for hazardous and complex waste exports, particularly those containing restricted substances like mercury or F-gases.

4 Apr 2026, 11:02gov.ukUnited Kingdom

England Environment Agency Progress Update on Waste Pneumatic Tyre Export Controls (March 2026)

The Environment Agency is expanding its rigorous waste tyre export compliance regime to all "Green List" waste shipments starting July 2026, following successful enforcement actions in the India trade route. Exporters face increased operational risk and reporting burdens, with mandatory digital tracking and stricter "environmentally sound" destination standards becoming the new baseline for market access.

2 Apr 2026, 10:18gov.ukUnited Kingdom

EU Commission Recommends Flexible DIWASS Transition For Annex VII Green‑Listed Waste Until End 2026

The European Commission and Danish EPA have granted a flexible transition for digital waste shipment reporting (DIWASS), delaying mandatory electronic filing for green-listed waste until the end of 2026. This provides a critical window for operators to align internal logistics and data systems with upcoming EU-wide digital traceability requirements without immediate enforcement risk.

29 Mar 2026, 16:56mst.dkEuropean UnionDenmark

Belgium: Flanders (OVAM) Announces EVOA Webinars on DIWASS Registration Obligations

Flanders (OVAM) has launched guidance for mandatory registration in the new DIWASS system ahead of the revised EU Waste Shipment Regulation taking effect on May 21, 2026. Impacted businesses must ensure all supply chain actors—including carriers and waste processors—are registered to prevent shipment delays and comply with new electronic notification mandates.

28 Mar 2026, 18:26ovam.vlaanderen.beEuropean UnionBelgium

Japan Revises Mercury Act Article 2(2) Requirements Ordinance

Japan updated the Mercury Pollution Prevention Act's implementing ordinance on March 24, 2026, refining definitions for mercury-added products and hazardous wastes. Companies must re-assess their product portfolios and waste streams against these clarified criteria to maintain compliance with manufacturing, handling, and export restrictions.

27 Mar 2026, 16:20kanpo.go.jpJapan

EU Council Working Party Prepares Basel Convention Position On Tyres And POP Waste

The EU is coordinating its position for the June 2026 Basel Convention meeting, focusing on international waste controls for tyres and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). This signals a push for stricter global transboundary movement and disposal standards, requiring firms to monitor evolving waste management obligations for these materials.

21 Mar 2026, 16:16data.consilium.europa.euEuropean Union

BRS Secretariat Issues Exploratory Study on Interlinkages Between the Montreal Protocol and the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

The BRS Secretariat has published a study mapping regulatory interlinkages between the Montreal Protocol and the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions. This signals a move toward more integrated global enforcement and technical alignment across chemical production, trade, and waste management for ODS, HFCs, and PFAS.

19 Mar 2026, 19:20brsmeas.orgGlobal

BRS Secretariat Information Note on Circularity, Life‑Cycle Approaches and the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

The BRS Secretariat has issued guidance linking the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions to circular economy and life-cycle approaches to support national policy integration. This signals a global shift toward operationalizing chemicals and waste treaties through national circularity mandates, requiring closer alignment between product design and end-of-life management.

18 Mar 2026, 16:16basel.intGlobal

BRS Secretariat Holds Regional Workshop in Kenya on Basel and Stockholm Convention National Reporting

The BRS Secretariat is accelerating capacity-building for African nations ahead of the August 2026 deadline for the 6th Stockholm Convention national reporting cycle. Companies should prepare for enhanced regulatory scrutiny and more rigorous data requests regarding the production, import, and export of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) across the region.

18 Mar 2026, 15:55brsmeas.orgKenyaAFR

European Commission Confirms 6% Contamination Threshold for Plastic Waste Entry EU3011

The EU Waste Shipment Regulation (2024/1157) establishes a strict 6% contamination threshold for 'green-listed' plastic waste (EU3011) effective May 21, 2026. Companies must enhance waste sorting and quality control to avoid the significant administrative delays associated with stricter prior notification and consent procedures.

12 Mar 2026, 09:43eur-lex.europa.euEuropean Union

EU Commission Confirms 21 May 2026 Go-Live for DIWASS Waste Shipment System

The EU’s Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS) will become mandatory for all waste shipment documentation and exchange starting May 21, 2026. Operators must ensure IT interoperability and EORI registration are finalized by early 2026 to maintain compliant cross-border waste movements and avoid logistical delays.

11 Mar 2026, 17:08environment.ec.europa.euEuropean Union

EU Council Working Party Reviews Rotterdam Convention COP-12 Calls for Information

The EU Council is coordinating responses to Rotterdam Convention COP-12 information requests, focusing on trade data, implementation effectiveness, and the listing of new substances. These submissions will shape future international trade restrictions (PIC) and enforcement priorities, signaling potential shifts in global market access requirements for hazardous chemicals and pesticides.

9 Mar 2026, 18:57data.consilium.europa.euGlobalEuropean Union

Denmark: Danish EPA Hosts DIWASS Webinar Ahead Of Waste Shipment Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 Entry Into Force

Denmark is accelerating preparations for the EU Waste Shipment Regulation (2024/1157) and the DIWASS digital system, effective May 21, 2026. Operators must ensure readiness for mandatory electronic data exchange and stricter controls on transboundary waste movements to avoid shipment delays.

2 Mar 2026, 13:12mst.dkDenmarkEuropean Union

Basel Convention Guidance: Integrating Actions into UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks

The Basel Convention Secretariat has released formal guidance to integrate hazardous waste management priorities into national UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks. This signals a shift toward embedding waste compliance into broader national development agendas, likely leading to more integrated waste infrastructure planning and stricter local enforcement in emerging markets.

14 Feb 2026, 14:21brsmeas.orgGlobal

UK Environment Agency Details Annex VII Documentation Requirements for Green List Waste Shipments

The UK Environment Agency has updated the mandatory Annex VII documentation required for "green list" waste shipments to ensure compliance with Article 18 waste controls. Companies must integrate these documentation requirements into logistics and supply chain protocols to avoid shipment delays and ensure compliance with transboundary waste regulations.

5 Feb 2026, 16:55gov.ukUnited Kingdom

Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Publish 2026 Guidance on Implementation and Compliance Mechanisms

The BRS Secretariats have released consolidated 2026 guidance on implementation and compliance mechanisms for the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions. This unified reference signals a move toward more rigorous, coordinated enforcement of global standards for hazardous waste, persistent organic pollutants, and chemical trade.

31 Jan 2026, 20:15basel.intGlobal

Japan Environment Ministry Reports 2024 Enforcement Status for Transboundary Waste Exports and Imports

Japan’s Ministry of the Environment released 2024 enforcement data for transboundary waste shipments, reporting zero administrative orders despite significant trade volumes in hazardous materials and recyclables. High compliance levels suggest stable regulatory oversight, but companies must maintain rigorous documentation to navigate ongoing scrutiny of suspicious consignments and illegal shipments.

20 Jan 2026, 08:02env.go.jpJapan

Japan MOE Opens Public Consultation On Draft Opinion For Future Waste Management Regime

Japan is proposing a comprehensive reform of its waste management regime, introducing stricter controls on scrap yards, used batteries, and PCB waste treatment. Impacted industries should anticipate new permitting requirements and technical standards for battery recycling and hazardous waste management to align with international safety and environmental conventions.

12 Jan 2026, 16:46env.go.jpJapan

New Zealand Updates Imports And Exports (Restrictions) Prohibition Order (No 2) 2004 On Hazardous Chemicals And Wastes

New Zealand has consolidated its import and export restrictions as of December 2025, incorporating updated lists of Stockholm and Rotterdam Convention chemicals and new controls on hazardous, plastic, and electronic wastes. Businesses must ensure compliance with stricter permit requirements and prohibitions for substances including PFHxS, PFOA, and UV-328, as well as tighter transboundary movement rules for waste streams.

6 Jan 2026, 20:00legislation.govt.nzNew Zealand