Environment Agency announces new waste shipping codes for WEEE
New classifications for hazardous and non-hazardous WEEE will be implemented from 1 January 2025 for shipments into EU and OECD countries.
From 1 January 2025, the Environment Agency will introduce new regulations requiring all Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) exports and imports to be classified under updated waste shipment codes, in accordance with recent amendments to the Basel Convention.
Under the updated system, two new codes will be used to classify WEEE:
- A1181: For hazardous WEEE
- Y49: For non-hazardous WEEE
Hazardous WEEE is defined as waste electrical and electronic equipment that exhibits hazardous characteristics or contains polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) above 50 mg per kilogram. Non-hazardous WEEE includes electrical and electronic equipment and WEEE-derived waste that do not contain hazardous properties.
These changes mean that exporters and importers of WEEE will need to obtain prior notification and consent from the relevant Competent Authorities in both countries before shipping WEEE. This applies to all shipments of WEEE that will arrive at their destination after 1 January 2025.
The new codes replace previously used entries such as GC010, GC020, and B4030. Companies must ensure that all waste shipments are correctly classified and notified to comply with the new regulations.
Notably, the new codes do not cover components or fractions of WEEE that are already covered by specific codes and meet the required specifications. For example, hazardous waste batteries will continue to be covered by entry A1170, and non-hazardous waste batteries by entry B1090.
Steve Molyneux, Deputy Director of Waste and Resources Regulation at the Environment Agency, commented on the upcoming changes: “These changes will ensure that exported Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment is managed in an environmentally sound manner throughout shipment and during recycling. We encourage interested parties to review the changes and prepare for when legislation is in place on 1 January 2025.”
These regulatory updates follow amendments to the Basel Convention, the global treaty that regulates the movement of hazardous waste. The new revisions aim to reduce illegal waste shipments and ensure that countries importing WEEE have the resources and technology to manage it sustainably.
To support the industry, the Environment Agency advises businesses to familiarise themselves with the new waste shipment classifications and notification requirements, and recommends using its resources such as the Waste Export Controls Tool.
