PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Brussels,9 April 2009

Indonesiato address BIR’s inspection control concerns

SeniorIndonesian government officials have agreed to take the concerns ofBIR members into consideration when preparing the guidelines for 100%quality inspection of all imported materials classified as “waste”.

Itwas announced last month that, owing to quality problems associatedwith imports of co-mingled waste, Indonesia planned to introducepre-shipment inspection requirements on all recyclables arriving inthe country on or after June 24 this year, including recovered paperand scrap metal (see BIR News dated 25 March 2009). The aim of thismeasure is to ensure global imports meet not only Indonesia’s wasteimport regulations but also all international regulations.

Inresponse, BIR’s Paper Division President Ranjit Baxi has heldmeetings in Jakarta with Diah Maulida, Director General of ForeignTrade within the Ministry of Trade, and with Benny Wachjudi, DirectorGeneral at the Ministry of Industry. The meetings in Jakarta werealso attended by the chairman of Indonesia’s paper producers’trade association and by senior domestic mill representatives.

MrBaxi gave an assurance that BIR has always supported any legislationfavouring the free and fair trade of good-quality recyclables whileat the same time respecting the environment and human health.However, he also highlighted concern among BIR members as regards thelogistical difficulties associated with proposed 100% pre-shipmentinspection controls by nominated surveyors.

Itwas confirmed that the surveying guidelines have yet to beformalised. Both Mrs Maulida and Mr Wachjudi confirmed that the viewsof BIR and its members would be taken into consideration whendrafting these new guidelines. And at what proved to be highly usefulmeetings, various options were discussed to ensure a smoothtransition to enhanced quality control procedures.

Followingthe granting of permission to import plastics scrap, the governmentof Indonesia wants to ensure that imported recyclables are free fromhazardous waste ^(*).At the same time, ministers fully appreciate the need for continuedimports of recyclables for use as raw material by the country’sindustries.

MrBaxi also pointed out in Jakarta that, as a result of the revision ofthe EU Waste Framework Directive agreed late last year, there isreason to believe that, in the next year or so, recovered papercomplying with agreed criteria will cease to be classified as “waste”by the EU.

^(*)Notefor EU exporters: the Indonesian rule changes have first to benotified in a Commission Regulation before EU exports are allowed.