‘Hazardous’ Tag for Plastic Scrap Could Leave Recycling in Ruins

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The U.S.-based Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) has raised concerns over the move to classify plastic scrap so as to bring it within the scope of the Basel Convention on hazardous waste. The Institute warned that any such step would not only discourage plastic recycling, but also add to marine litter.

Incidentally, the Basel Convention session is due to discuss a report that recommends possible solutions to tackle ocean plastic waste. One among the many proposals in the report calls for removal of plastic waste and scrap from the list of wastes not covered by the Basel Convention and placing it in the list of wastes that requires ‘special consideration’. This essentially will bring in plastic waste and scrap within the scope of the Convention.

The implementation of the above proposal is likely to bring troubles to plastic scrap traders across the world, especially the U.S. companies that import or export plastic scrap, because of the fact that the U.S. is not a party to the Basel Convention. Apart from severe trade restrictions, the action may also lead to notable rise in administrative burden for plastic scrap traders, ISRI noted.

According to ISRI, the adoption of proposals in the report funded by the Norwegian government would do more harm to plastics recycling than contributing to curb plastic waste in the oceans. The impacts of any such action would be felt by countries that lack adequate recycling infrastructure, it added.