Every day, thousands of tons of plastic waste circulate globally, with some disguised as "legitimate goods" attempting to bypass regulations. The World Customs Organization (WCO) is taking proactive measures to help Asia-Pacific customs authorities enhance their capabilities in identifying and intercepting these hidden pollution sources.
Recently, the WCO completed two virtual diagnostic missions with Indonesia Customs (January 11-15, 2021) and the Philippines Bureau of Customs (January 18-22, 2021). These missions form part of the WCO's Asia-Pacific Border Management of Waste Project, designed to strengthen regional customs authorities' capacity to address plastic waste imports, reduce risks of illegal shipments, and improve awareness of the Basel Convention Plastic Waste Amendments that took effect on January 1, 2021.
Comprehensive Diagnostic Approach
The virtual missions were conducted by an integrated team from the WCO's Compliance and Facilitation Directorate. The core objectives included helping both customs administrations conduct thorough assessments of their current plastic waste management systems and develop targeted improvement plans. Key focus areas included:
- Strategic Approach: Evaluating national strategies for waste and plastic waste management, including goal-setting, resource allocation, and inter-agency coordination.
- Legal Framework: Reviewing legislation related to plastic waste imports/exports for compliance with the Basel Convention and international standards, while assessing enforcement effectiveness.
- Procedures and Facilitation: Assessing clearance processes for legitimate plastic waste shipments to improve efficiency while identifying potential loopholes for illegal trade.
- Enforcement and Risk Management: Evaluating capabilities in identifying, intercepting, and handling illegal plastic waste shipments through risk assessment, intelligence gathering, inspection technologies, and enforcement cooperation.
- Support Policies: Examining existing support mechanisms including financial incentives, technical assistance, and public awareness campaigns.
- Capacity Building: Assessing training needs for customs personnel and developing corresponding training programs.
Both customs administrations completed self-assessment questionnaires prior to in-depth discussions with WCO representatives about findings and improvement recommendations. This interactive diagnostic method enabled the WCO to develop customized implementation plans for each country.
Project Outcomes and Regional Cooperation
As key deliverables of the project, the WCO will provide Indonesia and the Philippines with detailed implementation plans specifying required improvements and concrete action steps with timelines. These plans aim to significantly enhance both countries' capacity to address plastic waste challenges.
The WCO also plans to host a regional workshop in 2021 focusing on:
- Developing a regional plastic waste management strategy for customs authorities
- Establishing a standardized training framework
- Coordinating joint enforcement operations against illegal plastic waste trafficking
Basel Convention Amendments: A Global Milestone
The Basel Convention Plastic Waste Amendments, effective since January 2021, represent a significant advancement in global plastic waste governance. The amendments strengthen controls over plastic waste trade, requiring prior informed consent for exports of difficult-to-recycle plastics. This development is expected to reduce environmental and health hazards from improper plastic waste disposal.
The WCO's Asia-Pacific Border Management of Waste Project directly supports implementation of these amendments through enhanced customs capacity building. As plastic pollution continues to threaten marine ecosystems and human health worldwide, such international cooperation remains crucial for developing sustainable solutions to this global challenge.