When you apply for a licence to export waste glass, your application is assessed against the matters set out in the:
- Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020 (the RAWR Act)
- Recycling and Waste Reduction (Export – Waste Glass) Rules 2020 (Glass Rules).
You must provide the following information in your application, otherwise your application may be invalid and could be cancelled.
Specifications
Your waste glass must be processed to a relevant specification before you export it. In your licence application, you nominate the specification/s that your glass will be processed to for the duration of your licence.
Your specification/s could either be:
- listed on our website
- not listed on our website – e.g., your importer’s specification.
If you nominate an unlisted specification, you must provide it with your application.
If suitable, we may ask to publish your unlisted specification on our website. Other exporters of the glass waste can then be aware of it and use it.
Specification requirements
All glass specifications must:
- identify the intended use of the processed waste glass in the importing country, for example, for reuse as water filtration or blasting media or for re-manufacture into new glass containers
- specify colour, if required
- include testing, sampling and inspection requirements
- specify thresholds for size.
They should also specify thresholds for contaminants, including but not limited to:
- plastics
- organics
- metals
- prohibited materials
- non-metal, non-glass inorganics such as ceramics, stones, porcelain, pyro-ceramics.
We will consider whether the specification you nominate provides a suitable level of processing for the intended use of your processed waste glass.
Listed glass specifications
Listed specifications can be found on the Australian Council of Recycling’s (ACOR) Beneficiated Cullet Specification (Glass) (PDF).
Evidence of processing capability
For every specification you nominate in your application, you must prove you can process your glass waste to it. To do this, you could provide:
- an independent technical analysis (such as one undertaken by a laboratory accredited by NATA for the testing required) or an internal audit report confirming the processed glass meets the specification
- business processes that show how the glass will be processed to the specification. For example, information about the process, machinery and equipment, photographs and flowcharts
- purchase records, clear photos and technical specifications (that show make, model and purpose) of the equipment or machinery and how it is used to process the glass to the specification.
This evidence might show:
- your magnetic, eddy or other separator can remove metals and ceramics
- your glass breaker, trommel or hopper system can sort and break waste glass to a specified size
- the decontamination process can remove contaminants such as metals and ceramics.
Evidence of commercial arrangements with the importer
You must provide evidence showing:
- that you have a commercial arrangement or are in the process of securing one with every importer of your glass waste. The evidence should include the name of the specification you process the glass to.
- how the glass will be used in the importing country. The intended use must align with the relevant specification.
To do this, you could provide:
- signed and/or stamped existing or previous contracts with importers of the same type of glass waste
- proposed contract with the importer/s
- records of exports to existing or previous importer/s of the same type of glass waste
- correspondence with the importer/s confirming their intent to enter into a contract with you; for example, an official email
- a declaration that you are in the process of entering into a commercial relationship
- letters from importers, or purchase orders, bills of lading, quotes or invoices that state how the processed glass will be used.
If these documents don’t show how the glass waste will be used in the importing country, you could provide a statement, website address, photos or process flow that show how it will be used. If your importer is a trader, we will need information on how the waste will be used by on-buyers.
Provide the most recent evidence you have.
Note: If you show that you are in the process of securing a commercial arrangement, we may ask you to prove that you have secured this arrangement before you export.
In your application, you select the countries you export or will export to. Select only the countries you can prove you have, or are in the process of securing, a commercial relationship with.
Contact us
WELD portal: if you have a WELD portal account, contact us via ‘My messages’
Email: exportwaste@nationalepa.gov.au
Phone: 1800 976 422