site.btaImport of Waste for Recovery Extremely Important Bulgarian Economy, Says Environment Minister

The import of waste for recovery in Bulgaria is extremely important for the Bulgarian economy and, in particular, for the processing industry, said Environment and Water Minister Julian Popov during Question Time on Friday. He answered a question from MP Ivan Belchev (Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria) regarding the control and reduction of waste imports in Bulgaria.

Predominantly, this is waste of a non-hazardous nature and of high quality and value as raw material, the Minister specified. He noted that the transportation of waste within the European Union is carried out under the conditions of regulation 1013/2006 on transportation of waste. The regulation establishes rules at the European level in compliance with the principle of free movement of goods and the establishment of the functioning of the internal market of the European Union.

At the national level, a ban has been introduced on shipments of waste intended for disposal, as well as on shipments intended for incineration in quantities for the relevant calendar year exceeding in total half of the annual capacity of the installation, Popov added.

Based on the provisions of the regulation on waste shipments, a waste shipment inspection plan has been developed, in which an assessment of risky waste flows has been made, the Minister said, explaining that the plan covers documentary checks of waste shipments, as well as physical checks, on-the-spot checks, at border and customs points of shipments, by road and rail transport, and at Black Sea ports and other routes.