Legislation on import of hazardous electronic waste tightened

LAHORE: In a significant environmental protection move, Pakistan has tightened legislation on the import of hazardous electronic waste (e-waste), effectively banning compressor scrap contaminated with harmful substances.

According to the details in a decisive legislative move to protect the environment, Pakistan has introduced strict new regulations on the import of e-waste contaminated with substances classified as hazardous under the Basel Convention.

Compressor scrap, often imported into Pakistan without being dismantled, includes both usable compressors and those contaminated with hazardous substances such as oil, gas, and liquids—classified as hazardous under Schedule I of the Basel Convention.

In response, Pakistan's customs tariff has been updated under the newly introduced HS code 8549, in alignment with the World Customs Organization's (WCO) Harmonized System (HS) 2022 update. The government reinforced these changes in April 2024 through Notification SRO 628 of 2024, which officially bans certain hazardous e-waste imports.

These legislative measures aim to prevent unscrupulous importers from exploiting loopholes to bring in compressor scrap that poses significant environmental risks. However, despite these robust legal frameworks, the practical enforcement of these regulations has yet to take full effect. Pakistan’s environment remains vulnerable as the laws, though strong on paper, require more rigorous implementation to prevent the country from becoming a dumping ground for hazardous waste.

As the government continues to refine its approach, the real challenge will be translating these legislative advances into concrete actions that protect Pakistan’s borders and its environment from dangerous imports.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024