On July 21^st,2009 theIndian Ministry of Environment and Forests MOEF has issued anotification with immediate effect regarding the control of importsof recyclables, despite ongoing efforts made by BIR and BIRAmbassador for the Indian sub-continent Ikbal Nathani (Nathani Groupof Companies).

A joint BIR-ISRI visit tothe competentauthorities in India was made last May in Dehli to try and avoid theimplementation of inappropriate controlling measures fornon-hazardous recyclables (see BIR news of 24/04/09 and the extensivediscussions during our Dubai meeting in May).

The new regulationrequires to fillin a form (form 9) and to produce a pre-shipment inspectioncertificate issued by an inspection agency in case of import of thefollowing Basel non-hazardous wastes (which the Indian MOEFunilaterally considers to be hazardous).

B 1010: allferrous and non-ferrousmetals scrap

B 1040: electricalmaterials scrapnot contaminated

B 1050: mixednon-ferrous scrap,heavy fraction scrap not contaminated

B 1100:metal-bearing wastes fromsmelting and refining

B 1230: millscaling from iron &steel manufacture

B 3020: all paperand cardboardscrap/waste

The full text is available here.

The BIR had immediatelyalerted the BIRambassador in India as well as the ISRI leadership for furtheraction.

Questions have already beenraised atthe E.U. Commission and with UNEP as the incompatibility of these newunilateral measures with the E.U. shipment regulation and the BaselConvention (who do not consider the above materials to be hazardous)are obvious.

The businessconfidentiality aspectraised by form 9 and the immediate enforcement of the rules (withoutprior notice) have also been addressed.

BIR will keep its membersinformed ofany future developments.