Ilda Hoxha
Albania Exports Hazardous and Non-Hazardous Waste. According to the Ministry of Environment, Albania has issued a total of 84 permits for the export of waste over the past year and a half.
Data obtained by Faktoje reveal that both hazardous and non-hazardous waste is being exported from Albania. The Ministry of Tourism and Environment confirmed that in 2023 alone, 56 permits were granted for the export of these types of waste beyond the borders of the Republic of Albania, including transit movements through its territory.
Up until August 2024, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment has granted a total of 28 permits for the export of both hazardous and non-hazardous waste or for transit purposes.
In its official response, the Ministry did not provide details about the types of waste involved or the industries generating them. However, it clarified that legal provisions govern the export of waste that cannot be treated, recycled, reused, or disposed of domestically, allowing for such processes in other countries.
‘It reported that of the 953 waste code specifications listed in the Waste Catalog, 418 are classified as hazardous. Waste should not be stored at a location for longer than one year if designated for disposal, or longer than three years if earmarked for recycling or treatment’ – notes the Ministry.
Regarding the final destinations of the exported hazardous and non-hazardous waste, the Ministry provided a general list of countries without specifying those that require special procedures: ‘The waste is sent to countries including Greece, North Macedonia, Italy, Slovenia, Poland, Germany, Turkey, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Belgium, and others,’ announced the Ministry of Tourism and Environment.
Parliamentary Debate on Suspected Hazardous Waste Shipment
The issue surrounding the shipment of 100 containers allegedly containing hazardous waste from the port of Durrës to Thailand in early July sparked a special parliamentary interpellation with Prime Minister Edi Rama. This session was initiated by Gazmend Bardhi, the head of the Democratic Party’s parliamentary group.
During the interpellation, Bardhi expressed serious concerns regarding potential illegal activities involving hazardous waste in Albania.
He stated, ‘There have been contradictory statements from several relevant institutions since this news broke. Such discrepancies raise serious concerns about Albania’s compliance with various agreements, including the Basel Convention and the Warsaw Treaty. It appears that Albania might be involved in the illegal trade of hazardous waste.’
Regarding the shipment in question, Prime Minister Rama clarified that it does not contain hazardous waste.
‘The goods in question do not qualify as hazardous waste exports. Moreover, the customs process for these shipments includes an analysis certificate from a laboratory in an EU country, confirming the exporter’s declaration.
In both cases—one involving transport from Elbasan to Thailand and the other from Kosovo to China—the items classified as iron oxides/hydroxides or zinc concentrate were transported from the Port of Durrës to European ports, backed by all necessary documentation, through internationally recognized container shipping lines, of undisputed reputation in the maritime shipping industry and they have been temporarily stored in European Union countries, where no one has impeded their transit. They were subsequently allowed to continue along their designated route,’ the Prime Minister stated, reiterating the position previously expressed by the Ministry of Environment, which confirmed that no authorization has been issued for this case, as such permission is only required for exporting hazardous or non-hazardous waste.
Regarding the production and management of hazardous waste in Albania, Rama offered a general response, referencing the law without delving into specific cases: ‘Are there wastes generated from industrial and technological processes in Albania?
Yes, that’s entirely normal. Among these, there are both hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. Is there oversight for hazardous waste? Definitely. Where are these wastes deposited? How are they disposed of? Is there traceability from production to disposal?
According to Law 10463/2011 on Integrated Waste Management, hazardous waste is managed through recovery, recycling, and disposal methods specified by legal frameworks. In practice, hazardous waste is treated on-site through recovery operations, or it is collected, transported, and permanently disposed of by licensed entities.
Concerns Raised by the Bazel Action Network (BAN)
In a communication with Faktoje, the American non-governmental organization Bazel Action Network (BAN) revealed that they were informed by anonymous sources about a suspected shipment of hazardous waste.
‘BAN suspects that the shipments consist of dust from Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF), collected from pollution control filters. This type of furnace dust is a hazardous waste that typically arises from the recycling of used steel and contains toxic metal oxides, such as cadmium and chromium, which pose significant risks to health and the environment.
If it is confirmed that these are indeed hazardous materials, the export is illegal under the provisions of the Basel Convention, a United Nations treaty regulating the trade of hazardous and other waste. Exports conducted without prior notification and consent from the involved countries are deemed unlawful and criminal. Such shipments should be confiscated and returned to Albania,’ the organization emphasized.
According to the American organization, the 100 containers in question were transported from Albania to Trieste, Italy, in July, where they were loaded onto two Maersk vessels, MAERSK CAMPTON and MAERSK CANDOR.
‘As these ships sailed towards Southeast Asia, following the western coast of Africa, BAN and its partners raised the alarm and attempted to stop the vessels,’ BAN added.
Ministry of Environment: The company did not provide information on the cargo’s destination
When questioned about the suspected hazardous shipment, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment stated to Faktoje that it has not issued any authorization, and consequently, the company has not provided any information regarding the destination of the cargo.
‘We want to inform you that Albanian law enforcement institutions have been actively engaged since the first signal of these suspicions and have conducted joint investigative actions with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). Furthermore, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment has referred the case to customs authorities for investigation and assessment of the situation,’ the ministry announced.
Penchom Saetang, director of ‘Ecological Alert and Recovery – Thailand (EARTH),’ told Faktoje that the 816 tons of waste on board the two ships in 100 containers are believed to contain toxic dust from electric arc furnaces.’ Similar to BAN, this organization highlights that ‘if it is confirmed that these are hazardous waste, under the provisions of the Basel Convention, a United Nations treaty that regulates the trade in hazardous waste and others, the containers could be seized and returned to Albania,’ emphasized Ms. Saetang.
On August 24, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, along with the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, issued a joint statement regarding the scandal involving 816 tons of suspected toxic waste that departed from the Port of Durrës destined for Thailand.
‘In this situation, Albania cannot agree to the prior return of such shipments, especially based solely on suspicions and speculations, without conducting comprehensive analyses and obtaining reliable and verifiable legal evidence,’ the joint statement said.
