A. Background

Basel Convention is a global environmental agreement that controls the transboundary movements of hazardous waste. The Convention aims to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects resulting from the generation, transboundary movements, and management of hazardous waste. Taiwan manages the transboundary movements of waste in the spirit of the Basel Convention even though it is not a party.

In Taiwan, the transboundary movement of industrial wastes is governed by Article 38 of the Waste Disposal Act. It specifies that the import, export, transit and transshipment of industrial waste may commence only after receipt of permission. The Management Regulations for the Import and Export of Industrial Waste provides detailed implementation rules, including application documents required for permission. As for wastes meeting the requirements contained in the Industrial Wastes Required as Raw Materials for Industrial Use, no import/ export permit is required. Also, to protect Taiwan’s environment, certain types of wastes are banned from importation, including hazardous wastes, wastes collected from households and residues arising from the incineration of household wastes.

  In order to ensure the environmentally sound management of exported hazardous wastes, Article 38 of the Waste Disposal Act was amended on June 14, 2017. Hazardous industrial waste shall give priority to domestic treatment and recycling and can only be exported to member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, or countries which signed bilateral agreement with the Republic of China for transboundary movements of hazardous industrial wastes in accordance with international convention. The changes to the Waste Disposal Act came into force on June 14, 2018.

B. Important Measures

(1) Permission

According to Article 38 of the Waste Disposal Act, the import, export, transit and transshipment of industrial waste may commence only after receipt of permission granted by the local competent authority; for hazardous industrial waste, additional approval from the central competent authority is necessary.

(2) Online Application of Permission

To effectively control the disposal of waste, the EPA requires exporters and importers to fill in their permit applications through the Industrial Waste Report and Management System. The applications will be reviewed once submitted to the local competent authorities.

(3) Border inspections

Customs assists the EPA in investigating illegal imports and exports, and reports to the environmental protection departments when any breach of regulations is found. To strengthen customs officials’ capability to identify wastes at borders, EPA has developed several reference manuals providing photos and information. Seminars and training programs are held almost every year for the exchange of latest controlling measures and experiences between the customs officials and EPA.

(4) Foreign Treatment Facility Reporting

Foreign treatment organizations that receive and treat wastes from Taiwan are required to submit report online upon the receipt and after the treatment of wastes. More than 50 companies have used TEPA’s reporting online system for the transboundary movements of waste so far. The Solid Waste Export Report System can be accessed at http://waste.epa.gov.tw/export/main.asp

C. Achievements

(1) Bilateral Agreements:

In December 2005, Taiwan signed a bilateral agreement with the Interchange Association on the transfer and disposal of hazardous wastes, and the agreement came into force in 2006.

(2)Amendments to Article 38 of the Waste Disposal Act:

To ensure the environmentally sound management of exported hazardous wastes, Article 38 of the Waste Disposal Act was amended on June 14, 2017. Hazardous industrial waste shall give priority to domestic treatment and recycling and can only be exported to member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, or countries which signed bilateral agreement with the Republic of China for transboundary movements of hazardous industrial wastes in accordance with international convention. The changes to the Waste Disposal Act came into force on June 14, 2018.

(3) Amendments to the Industrial Waste Required as Raw Materials for Industrial Use:

To prevent the import of low-quality w Amendments to the Industrial Waste Required as Raw Materials for Industrial Use: Amendments to the Industrial Waste Required as Raw Materials for Industrial Use:aste plastic and paper, some changes were made to the Industrial Wastes Required as Raw Materials for Industrial Use which came into force on 4 October 2018. New import requirements were added to waste plastic and waste paper, and such wastes can only be imported and used by legal factories.

D. Expectations

The EPA will adhere to the principle of the Basel Convention to prevent the production of hazardous waste, dispose of the waste at the sources, and transfer the waste to other countries in ways that are safe to the environment. The EPA will assist in the establishment of waste disposal facilities to elevate Taiwan’s capacities to dispose of wastes domestically and reduce the exportation of wastes.

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