EuRIC’s purpose is to propose with these specification sheets an objective, measurable definition of the new B3011 entry of the Basel Convention which will enter into force on January 1st, 2021 (complete definition below). As you know, from this date on, only plastics registered under this B3011 entry will be eligible to the general information procedure. All other plastics will have to be shipped under the prior informed consent procedure under Y48 entry. 

The proposed specifications intend to clarify and provide a more harmonized criterion to assess what “almost free from contamination and other types of wastes” means and help devising a sound classification of sorted plastic waste, in particular in case of customs control, and to avoid excessive discrepancies between Member States when implementing these new B3011 / Y48 entries.
Furthermore, these specifications also aim to be applied to plastic waste shipments within the EU (EU3011).

You will find three documents with specification sheets:

• a general plastics from packaging,
• an “all streams” flakes specification- extremely generic and intend to cover for all the small streams waste which are important when put together and are often recycled abroad,
• a stream-specific technical plastics from WEEE & ELVs.

The “All streams – Flakes specification” is intended to apply exclusively to the flakes classified as waste. Currently, the waste / non-waste status of plastics flakes is not homogeneous and varies widely from one state to another, including within the EU. Similar plastic flakes can be classified either as waste or non-waste (product, by-product, product through “end-of-waste” procedure). EuRIC supports the classification as non-waste of flakes that are fit for integration within a manufacturing process.

The proposed standards are not meant to replace, but are meant to be compatible with, contractual agreements on waste quality set between sellers and purchasers, national quality standard, set by national recyclers associations or by EPR schemes (for example DSD specifications or FEDEREC’s waste classification), future Europe-wide quality grades for plastics waste such as those being prepared by CEN, etc.

These specifications have been updated on the 16/02/2021. For a conservative approach, mass should be not expressed as dry matter.