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<p>Businesses involved in the shipment of wastes are required to take all necessary
steps to ensure that the waste they ship is managed in an environmentally sound manner
throughout its shipment and during its recycling. Exporters accredited to issue PERNs
are required to provide suitable evidence that the sites to which they send waste
are operating to standards broadly equivalent to those of EU countries.</p><p> </p><p>The
UK environmental regulators take an intelligence led approach to checking compliance
with these obligations focusing on specific problematic wastes. Enforcement activity
occurs in transit, at roadsides and at ports. However, the regulators continue to
focus significant effort on identifying, stopping and intervening at source prior
to illegal exports taking place.</p><p> </p><p>The regulators also provide easily
understood guidance for those responsible for exporting waste which allows anyone
involved in the export of waste to determine which wastes can be legitimately exported
to which countries and the procedures they must follow to do things legally.</p><p>
</p><p>Last year the Environment Agency issued 130 stop notices, prohibiting the export
of unsuitable waste. It also stopped 4,565 tonnes of waste destined for illegal export
at ports and intervened further upstream to prevent a further 15,113 tonnes of waste
from reaching our ports. This work ensures we are not exporting our problem wastes
for unsuitable treatment or disposal.</p><p> </p><p>We cannot ultimately dictate how
UK waste is managed once it leaves the UK. There is a system of international rules
on shipments which must be followed. The authorities in countries that receive UK
waste also need to be clear about the types of waste they will accept and the waste
import procedures they require exporters to adhere to.</p>
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