Transfrontier shipment of waste

Regulating the movement of waste between EU Member States and between the EU and other countries is a large and complex business. It is referred to as "transfrontier shipment", or TFS.

Movement of waste between member states is subject to Regulation (EC) No. 1013/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14th June, 2006 on shipments of waste.  This Regulation is supported in Irish law through Statutory Instruments under the Waste Management (Shipments of Waste) Regulations, S.I. 419.

The lists

Some wastes are more strictly controlled than others. The regulation sets out a system for the classifying waste into three lists:

• The green list: In broad terms, green listed wastes are non-hazardous and easily recyclable, such as paper and plastic. These wastes may move across international borders within the EU without having to request permission or advance notification.
• The amber list: When green wastes are mixed ("co-mingled"), they become amber listed wastes. They then do require pre-notification and prior written consent before they can be exported. Consequently as a waste becomes somewhat more difficult to recover or somewhat more hazardous it goes onto the amber list. T
• The red list: This covers particularly dangerous wastes.

Who must be notified

From the 12th of July 2007, Dublin City Council is designated as the National Competent Authority for the export, import and transit of waste shipments under the Waste Management (Shipments of Waste) Regulations, 2007.  All transfrontier shipments of waste originating in any local authority area in the State that are subject to the prior written notification procedures must be notified to and through Dublin City Council at the National TFS Office established to implement and enforce the Regulations.  Contact details are as follows; , Dublin City Council, Eblana House, 68-71 Marrowbone Lane, Dublin 8, Republic of Ireland.

National TFS Office
Dublin City Council,
Eblana House,
68-71 Marrowbone Lane,
Dublin 8.
Republic of Ireland.

Telephone No. (01) - 2224235 or (01)- 2224374;
Email: nationaltfs@dublincity.ie  

Any queries relating to TFS import, export or transit should be directed to the Dublin City Council, National TFS Office.  The current Waste Management (Shipments of Waste) Regulations 2007, S.I. 419, Regulation (EC) 1013/2006, and TFS guidelines are available on the Dublin City Council TFS webpage included below.

Learn more

Find out about the EPAs classification on railway sleepers under TFS Regulation 259/93.

Check a list of competent authorities for TFS in other countries

Read about the European Waste Catalogue (EWC) and Hazardous Waste List (HWL) waste classification systems across the EU.

Read the UK Environment Agency's useful guidance document  on the TFS Notification procedure

Find out about the Basel Convention to tackle the problem of "toxic traders" shipping hazardous waste to developing countries and to Eastern Europe.