Guidance

Broadly equivalent standards for packaging and equivalent standards for WEEE and batteries

Updated 5 June 2024

Evidence you must submit in your exporter accreditation application

All evidence you submit to demonstrate equivalent environmental standards for packaging, batteries and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) must:

• relate to the overseas reprocessing site in your application
• have a valid date at the time you submit your application
• refer to the reprocessing activity and the conditions and standards it needs to operate
• include a photocopy of the original document (and an English translation if necessary)
• have an official stamp on the original document from the competent authority (if it is an environmental licence)

You must supply a copy of the original licence if you are submitting an extension or renewal.

For waste subject to notification controls, you should submit proof you have applied for notification approval.

You need to be aware:

• of other domestic and EU legislation, commercial or local controls which may apply in states of transit or destination
• that other states may adopt a different interpretation of waste classification

You must ensure that:

• the shipped waste is appropriately classified
• you comply with all applicable controls

Before shipping waste you should:

• make appropriate checks with the other states concerned
• seek independent legal advice on the applicable controls

You must comply with the waste: import and export guidance.

The Environment Agency will only accept an ISO 14001 certificate where a country does not regulate the overseas reprocessing site through a permitting regime. Any ISO 14001 certificate must be for the reprocessing site and refer to the reprocessing activity.

The Environment Agency will accept a statement from the competent authority which shows that the reprocessing site is:

• regulated
• works within a system that meets broadly equivalent standards for packaging and equivalent standards for WEEE and batteries

The following list gives examples of documents that the Environment Agency will accept as evidence from different countries. It is not an exhaustive list – these are examples of documents that the Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Natural Resources Wales and Northern Ireland Environment Agency (the agencies) agree demonstrate broad equivalence. It may not be up to date at the time of export.

The agencies will consider, and may accept other documents that explain how reprocessing operations at the overseas site are regulated to protect the environment.

You must check if an export is allowed under the Waste Shipment Regulations. Inclusion in the list below does not confirm that the export is allowed. You can check this using the waste export controls tool.

Bangladesh

Regulated at country level.

Acceptable evidence

Either of the following:

• permit from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
• Environmental Clearance Certificate

Note, the:

• permit must contain the terms and conditions of operation
• Environmental Clearance Certificate must be renewed after 3 years for the green category industries, and after 1 year for orange-A, orange-B and red category industries

Brazil

Regulated at state level.

Acceptable evidence

An operating licence from the environmental secretariat of the government state you are exporting to.

The following certificates will not be accepted without an operating licence:

• Certificate of Registration from the Brazilian Army
• Certificate of Potentially Polluting Activities

Canada

Evidence is required for batteries and WEEE applications only.

Regulated by Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Acceptable evidence

A permit from the local permitting regime.

Permits are issued by the relevant region’s ministry, such as the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, and Fight Against Climate Change (MDDELCC) in Quebec.

China

China banned most solid waste imports from 1 January 2021.

They may import some scrap metals such as aluminium, brass and copper. You will need to check how to meet their import standards.

Acceptable evidence

An import licence, such as a:

• Ministry of Environmental Protection licence
• State Environmental Protection Administration of China licence

They must be clearly scanned with a visible watermark.

If the import licence is not clearly scanned with a visible watermark, you must also provide a permit or an inspection or environmental report, such as:

• a waste disposal certificate
• an environmental report (issued within the last 2 years)
• an inspection report (issued within the last 2 years)
• a waste emissions permit
• a pollution discharge permit

The agencies may ask for more information if the documents do not mention the reprocessing activity.

A General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine will not be accepted as they do not relate to the reprocessor.

Egypt

Egypt has banned the import of some wastes. Check the waste export control tool when you export.

Acceptable evidence

Either of the following:

• letter from the competent authority
• reprocessing permit

Hong Kong

Regulated by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD).

Acceptable evidence

A local environmental permit such as a Water Pollution Control Ordinance.

Local import controls apply. You need to declare some materials to the Hong Kong Competent Authority before exporting. Check with the Hong Kong EPD.

Regulated e-waste is whole WEEE such as waste air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, computers, printers, scanners and monitors. Sites need a waste disposal licence and an import permit for regulated e-waste.

India

Regulated at state level.

Acceptable evidence

Any of the following:

• Pollution Control Board (PCB) licence
• authorisation or consent certificate
• registration for the recycling of plastic waste (Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2011 and amendment Rules 2011)
• import licence providing the activity is specified on the licence

Extensions to PCB licences are not acceptable alone. You must also submit the original licence.

Indonesia

Acceptable evidence

For waste plastic:

• Import Permit on Plastic and Scrap Plastic Licensing issued by the Batam Free Trade Zone Authority (BP Batam)

For other materials:

• LIMBAH import licence issued by the Ministry of Trade in consultation with the Ministry of Environment – valid for one year

We understand that contamination limits to a maximum of 2% are in force.

Local import controls apply: all imports of non-B3 (non-hazardous) waste must be inspected in the loading country by an inspection company appointed or approved by the Indonesian Competent Authority. At the time of publishing the inspection company is Baltic Control.

Iran

Acceptable evidence

Either of the following:

• letter from the competent authority
• reprocessing permit

Israel

Evidence is required for batteries and WEEE applications only.

Regulated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Acceptable evidence

Any of the following:

• hazardous material permit
• emission permit
• import permit

Japan

Evidence is required for batteries and WEEE applications only.

Regulated by the Department of Environment.

Acceptable evidence

A permit issued under the Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law 1970 (and amendments).

Kosovo

Regulated by the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning.

Acceptable evidence

Waste Administration Environmental Licence.

We believe these licences are issued by the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning.

Malaysia

Regulated by the:

• Department of Environment (DoE)
• National Solid Waste Management Department (Ministry of Housing and Local Government)

Acceptable evidence

For waste plastic:

• an approved permit for import, issued by the Department of National Solid Waste Management (Ministry of Housing and Local Government)

To comply with waste export or local import control exporters must have proof they are an approved foreign supplier for the site in Malaysia.

For other materials any of the following:

• scheduled waste treatment and disposal facility certificate from the DoE
• environmental impact assessment from the DoE, with clear approval conditions
• written approvals or notifications, covering discharges to air or water, for site operations under the Environmental Quality Act 1974, issued by the DoE
• an approved permit for import, issued by the Department of National Solid Waste Management (Ministry of Housing and Local Government)
• the import of waste paper and scrap metal requires approval in the form of a Certificate of Approval issued by SIRIM (to the Malaysian importer), which may involve pre-shipment inspection - a valid Certificate of Approval may be submitted as evidence of broadly equivalent standards

The Environment Agency will not accept a:

• warehouse licence
• pre-siting evaluation document

You can only export plastic waste classified as import code 3915 to Malaysia.

Mexico

Evidence is required for batteries and WEEE applications only.

Regulated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Acceptable evidence

An environmental permit or licence from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Morocco

Acceptable evidence

Either of the following:

• letter from the competent authority
• reprocessing permit

Nepal

Acceptable evidence

Either of the following:

• letter from the competent authority
• reprocessing permit

Pakistan

Regulated by the Ministry of Climate Change.

Acceptable evidence

A NOC (No Objection Certificate) for imports from the Climate Change Division in Islamabad. The UK exporter should be named on the NOC.

Local import controls apply for plastic scrap or waste. All material must have a pre-shipment inspection in the exporting country by a company mentioned in the Import Policy Order 2022 Appendix-H from the Pakistan Ministry of Commerce.

Philippines

Regulated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Acceptable evidence

Any of the following:

• Department of Environment and Natural Resources permit to operate
• Environmental Compliance Certificate
• Certificate of Non Coverage

If the document you provide does not reference the reprocessing activity, you must provide other evidence to confirm the reprocessing activity.

Russia

Acceptable evidence

Either of the following:

• letter from the competent authority
• reprocessing permit

The agencies understand that local import controls apply for waste plastic: the material must be tested for polychloride biphenyls and other hazardous materials before export. Test results must be made available to the Russian authorities.

Serbia

Regulated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian Environmental Protection Agency.

Acceptable evidence

Both of the following:

• import permit issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia
• reprocessing or treatment permit issued by the Serbian Environmental Protection Agency

Singapore

Regulated by the National Environment Agency of Singapore.

Acceptable evidence

A National Environment Agency permit or licence. You may need a number of these for one site (for example for waste storage and discharges).

Business registration is not valid on its own.

South Korea

Evidence is required for batteries and WEEE applications only.

Acceptable evidence

A local environmental permit.

Sri Lanka

Acceptable evidence

An Environmental Protection Licence for prescribed activities issued by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) or a local authority. See the list of prescribed activities.

Switzerland

Evidence is required for batteries and WEEE applications only.

Acceptable evidence

A permit from the local permitting regime.

Taiwan

Acceptable evidence

Any of the following:

• Scrap Recycle Re-use Registration from the local government
• operation licence
• Air or Water Pollution Control Certificate from the local government

If an approval letter about industrial waste clearance plan mentions “reuse” this indicates the facility is registered as a reprocessing facility.

A Regulated Recyclable Waste Operation Certificate is not acceptable evidence.

Local import controls apply to:

• waste plastic: you need an import licence from the local competent authority unless the material you are exporting is single plastic material (polymer) and single form plastic
• waste paper: limited to unbleached kraft paper or paperboard, corrugated paper or paperboard and recovered and well-classified other paper or paperboard made mainly of bleached chemical pulp

Thailand

Regulated by the Ministry of Industry.

Acceptable evidence

Any of the following:

• letter from the competent authority
• reprocessing permit
• Factory Operating Licence

WEEE imports are banned indefinitely. Local import controls apply to the export of waste plastic to Thailand.

Turkey

Evidence is required for batteries and WEEE applications only.

Regulated by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation.

Acceptable evidence

Either of the following from the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation:

• an Environmental Permit and Licence Certificate
• a Temporary Operation Certificate

A Scrap Importer document from the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation will not be accepted.

Local import controls apply to waste plastic. Imports are restricted to certain polymers and must meet the standards set by the Turkish Standards Institution.

The agencies believe that Turkish reprocessing sites have an import quota. Exporters need to verify what this quota is before exporting.

Before a load can be released from the customs area, you need a Compliance Certificate. The local Provincial Directorate of Environment will issue this after they have done a physical inspection of the material and paperwork.

The agencies compliance monitoring will include checking if an import permit specifies the European Waste Catalogue code of the material being exported.

Ukraine

Regulated by the Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection (MEEP). Previously Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.

Acceptable evidence

Any of the following:

• import approval letter issued by MEEP
• licence issued by MEEP
• letter of exemption, if required

You need a licence from MEEP or the municipal authorities for waste activities.

The import approval letter must name the UK exporter.

Some waste activities require a licence and some are exempt. It will depend on whether the receiving site has a letter of exemption verifying that it does not need a licence.

United Arab Emirates

Either of the following:

• letter from the competent authority
• reprocessing permit

USA

Evidence is required for batteries and WEEE applications only.

Regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Acceptable evidence

A permit from the local permitting regime.

Vietnam

Regulated by the Department of Resources and Environment.

Acceptable evidence

Certificate of eligibility for the import of scraps.

Local import controls may apply to waste plastic and paper. A ban on imports of waste plastics is scheduled for 2025.