Chile advances in regulations on the cross-border movement of waste

By Hidronor

This is a machine translation of the original press release issued in Spanish

According to figures from the Registry of Emissions and Transfers of Pollutants (RETC) of the Ministry of the Environment (MMA), in 2021 Chile generated almost 650 thousand tons of hazardous waste (Respel), while the three previous years it reached a figure close to the 600 thousand tons.

In relation to this point, statistics show that the industries that generate the greatest amount of hazardous waste are those associated with the production of metals (30%) and the extraction of minerals (22%), followed by waste managers (16%), manufacturing (7%), chemicals and cellulose (3 and 2%, respectively).

Faced with this panorama, and with the aim of advancing towards a better management of hazardous waste in the country, the Council of Ministers for Sustainability and Climate Change recently approved the regulation that regulates the cross-border movement of waste, pending the preparation of a report by the Ministry of Health for the final approval of this regulation.

Once the go-ahead is granted, the export and import of hazardous waste such as tires, mineral and technological waste, among others, will be allowed, authorizing the international traffic of hazardous waste against the trend of the Basel Convention (1992) and the OECD, which seeks to minimize the generation of waste and, if it occurs, make the necessary efforts to treat it by those who generate it.

As part of the solution so that companies can respond to this new regulation (if implemented), the Chilean company Hidronor offers the industry different alternatives and treatments for the management, treatment and transfer of waste, responding safely and in accordance with legal requirements.

“As a company we are aware of the challenge that this new regulation will impose on the country and we are prepared to support companies with this requirement. Thanks to this type of progress, we can continue contributing to the sustainability of the environment, generating a reduction in the environmental impact with the treatment, transfer and correct disposal of hazardous waste”, says Juan Andrés Salamanca, Hidronor Chile Sales and Marketing Manager.

The executive also reveals that traceability chains, safe transport, safety and environmental care are added to the new criteria and concepts that have been settling in the world, aligned with the relevance of the circular economy, the extended responsibility of the producer and recycling that have waste management at the center as the main guideline when taking actions in favor of greater sustainability.

Thus, a final decision is then expected from the competent entity to start advancing in the corresponding procedures, always looking for the best alternative to the transfer of each of the permitted waste.