Question Period Note: Export of Waste

Export of Waste

• Canada has a comprehensive regulatory regime to control exports of hazardous waste and comply with its international obligations.
• Since January 1, 2021, Canada has also controlled plastic waste subject to the Basel Convention when exported to another Party to the Convention.
• Canada respects the regulatory decisions of other countries to control waste imports and seeks their consent before allowing waste exports from Canada.
• Having heard the concerns about exports of Canadian waste to foreign countries, we have enhanced our compliance promotion actions and participated in Demeter VI, an international initiative to target illegal traffic of wastes.

• Canada is a global exporter of plastic and other recyclable materials to a range of countries. Under international and domestic rules, hazardous waste, as well as waste collected from households, can be exported only when the importing country consents to the import.
• Other types of recyclables, such as paper or textiles, when not collected from households are goods currently traded in accordance with international trade rules.
• Canadians are becoming increasingly concerned about these exports and their associated environmental and reputational impacts.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada, in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency, is developing various mechanisms to enhance compliance with exports restrictions, as well enhance the understanding of the impacts associated with waste exports and determine appropriate actions.
• In January 2018, China started implementing domestic measures that significantly restrict imports into China of solid waste that cause serious environmental harm such as wood and wood articles wastes; waste paper or paperboard; scrap iron and steel; nonferrous metal scrap; metal and electrical appliance scraps; vessels and other floating structures for breaking up; waste plastics, etc.
• Data shows significant increases in exports of plastic waste to neighbouring South East Asian countries as a result of the Chinese measures. Some countries of the region are now restricting plastic waste imports through domestic regulations.
• In May 2019, the Basel Convention adopted by consensus a series of amendments that entered into force on January 1, 2021, and strengthen the controls of transboundary movement of plastic waste among Basel Parties. Canada was actively engaged in the negotiation of these amendments and implements these amendments through Canadian legislation.

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