Plastic Waste Exports 2026 – Export Ban, OECD Controls & B3011 | Word/PDF/Excel

Have you already sold or booked the export of plastic waste to a country not covered by the OECD decision? From 21 November 2026, the EU's new ban on the export of plastic waste to such countries will apply. Even clean, sorted plastic waste with Basel code B3011 is covered. This practical specialist package helps Swedish waste exporters, recyclers and logistics companies identify high-risk orders, block planned shipments, notify customers and test a possible alternative recycling route without fabricating official clearance.

General rule: The ban follows from Regulation (EU) 2024/1157, Article 39.1(d), with the date of application according to Article 86.3(c). The European Commission and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency have confirmed the date. The rules distinguish between countries covered by the OECD decision on waste shipments and other countries. A route via an OECD port does not automatically grant permission if the actual final destination is prohibited.

Important distinction: From 21 May 2026, the export of B3011 to third countries is subject to prior written notification and consent (PIC) when the export may otherwise be carried out. Export to an OECD decision country is therefore not automatically permitted. Y48 and A3210 have already been subject to export bans to the affected countries. From 21 May 2027, special requirements for independent audits of receiving recycling facilities will also apply to applicable third-country exports. Official European Commission overview.

Digital delivery for SEK 79: five Swedish operational templates + one Swedish user guide + a separate English User Guide, each in Word/DOCX and searchable, printable PDF, plus a nine-tab Excel/XLSX register. This provides 7 DOCX + 7 PDF + 1 XLSX = 15 customer files in a ZIP. The PDF copies are not interactive forms.

Five operational templates – from prohibited shipment to verified stop

Excel: nine tabs, 612 formulas, and 33 verified scenarios

The workbook includes Read Me, Overview, Destinations, Batches, Stop Orders, Notices, Alternatives, Decisions, and Sources. Six operational tabs with 100 rows each track affected shipments from control to decision. The twelve-part control overview shows zero upon delivery and only counts actually registered cases. No fictitious customers, receivers, or consent numbers are included.

Statuses can, for example, become “EXPORT BAN – STOP”, “VERIFY OECD DECISION”, “PIC/CONSENT MISSING”, “INVESTIGATE WASTE CODE”, “STOP NOT ENFORCED”, “MISSING CARRIER RECEIPT”, “ESCALATE PHYSICAL DEPARTURE”, “FINAL DESTINATION UNCLEAR”, or “ESCALATE HIGH RISK”. Other cases may only receive “FOR MANUAL … REVIEW”, never “export approved”. 33 out of 33 functional tests passed, including the November 21 deadline, the day before the deadline, unknown waste code, redirection without PIC, and high-risk alert with desired closure.

Practical example of an export stop

A recycling company has booked a container of pure, sorted B3011 for transport to a facility in a country not covered by the OECD decision. The container is booked for export after 21 November 2026. The company must then account for the export ban – an older purchase agreement, already paid freight, or preliminary consent is not in itself a legal exemption. An actual change to a new facility within the EU or an OECD decision country requires independent control and may be subject to notification.

How the product package is used – seven steps

1. Collect all affected orders. Export agreements, batches, quantities, containers, planned departures, and actually declared final countries.
2. Verify the waste classification. B3011 must correspond to actual quality and purity. Contaminated or mixed plastic may be Y48 or A3210. Use documented analysis, not assumptions.
3. Assess the destination against the OECD decision. It is the scope of the decision, not just the trade name or an intermediate country, that must be investigated.
4. Mark prohibited shipments. Follow Article 39.1(d) and Article 86.3(c) for the ban from 21 November 2026. Check the actual EU clearance date and any transitional issues with a qualified expert.
5. Stop and notify. Block orders in the actual ERP/transport system, cancel actual loading, notify affected parties, and save received receipts.
6. Test alternative routes separately. Intra-EU recycling and export to OECD decision countries have different procedures. Check the waste code, actual country, facility permit, PIC, and relevant audit.
7. Conclude only after evidence review. Save cancellation references, carrier notice, actual physical status, qualified attestation, and open contract issues.

The legal nuances – why the new regulations matter

Article 39.1(d) and 86.3(c): the specific date 21 November 2026 applies to the export ban on plastic waste to countries not covered by the OECD decision. This is not equivalent to a total ban on export to all third countries. Source: EU Regulation 2024/1157.

Waste codes: The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency explains that B3011 may refer to pure, sorted plastic waste for material recycling under certain conditions. Y48 covers other plastic waste not included in B3011/A3210 and is subject to notification. A3210 refers to certain hazardous plastic waste. This may involve older and stricter export restrictions. Official guidance from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

PIC from 21 May 2026: export of plastic waste to third countries, including waste that may otherwise be classified as B3011, requires relevant prior notification and approval. The materials in this package are not such an official notification. European Commission notice.

From 21 May 2027: EU rules for export and control of treatment outside the EU are tightened; for applicable exports, environmentally sound management at the receiving facility must be supported by relevant independent audit. A special future control is included in the template, without incorrectly stating a retroactive date. Commission guidance on waste shipments.

From 21 May 2029 at the earliest: affected countries outside the OECD decision may, according to the rules, apply to import certain categories of B3011 under specified conditions. This is not an exemption that companies can issue themselves during 2026–2028.

What sets the package apart from other templates?

The template store's DIWASS 2027 – Annex VII refers to the digital information obligation for permitted green-listed shipments, primarily within the EU. This package instead handles an explicit export ban outside the EU and the business-critical workflow when a previously planned plastic waste export must be stopped or reconsidered. Hazardous Waste – Waste Journal & Transport Documents is a broader documentation package without this special order stop.

Questions and answers

Is all export of plastic waste prohibited from November 2026?

No. The ban applies to export from the EU to countries not covered by the OECD decision. Other permitted export, for example to countries covered by the decision, still requires separate classification, PIC, and other conditions.

Does the ban apply to pure B3011 plastic waste?

Yes, to the affected countries from 21 November 2026. Even pure B3011 fractions are covered. Y48 and A3210 have already had restrictions.

What happens to contracts entered into before 21 November?

An older contract does not override a mandatory export ban. Termination, price, damages, force majeure, and substitute delivery must, however, be assessed separately according to the current contract and applicable law.

Can the waste first be sent to an OECD country and then onward to the prohibited destination?

You must investigate the actual final treatment country and the risk of circumvention. An intermediate port or transit destination is not sufficient grounds to consider the export permitted.

Does a completed control register grant export permission?

No. Excel flags administrative risks; it never provides valid official consent, customs clearance, or legal clearance.

Can a carrier use the package for hazardous plastic waste?

As a separate internal stop and evidence basis, yes, but hazardous waste may be subject to other and stricter bans and permit regulations. The B3011 template must not be applied routinely to A3210 or Y48.

Must receiving facilities be audited already in November 2026?

The special new audit rules for third-country facilities will be assessed from 21 May 2027. Other already applicable requirements for environmentally sound management may apply before then.

Is there a complete English translation of all Word templates?

No. Five operational templates, a Swedish guide, and Excel are in Swedish. A separate English User Guide is included to explain how the Swedish operational templates are used.

Is this an official government form?

No. The templates have no government or customs integration, no official PIC forms, and no certification value. Actual government decisions, transport documents, and evidence must be collected separately.

Legal sources and version control

Source control: EU 2024/1157, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, European Commission on plastic waste. Version 1.0, 9 November 2026. The package has undergone AI-assisted legal source control and document QA: 15 ZIP files checksummed, seven searchable two-sided A4 PDFs, Excel with 612 formulas, and 33/33 scenario results. No external lawyer, customs authority, waste authority, or independent environmental auditor has reviewed or approved the templates. Check current law and actual shipments before use.