Exports of waste glass

We regulate the export of waste glass under the following legislation:

• Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020
• Recycling and Waste Reduction (Export—Waste Glass) Rules 2020.

Glass we regulate

Regulated waste glass is glass that is:

• discarded, rejected or left over from an industrial, commercial, domestic or other activity; or
• surplus to or a by-product of an industrial, commercial, domestic or other activity.

Glass we don’t regulate

You don’t need a waste export licence to export waste glass if it is:

• exported solely for personal or domestic use
• a product made from waste glass that is ready to be used again, such as new bottles made from recycled glass, or
• temporarily imported into Australia and then exported in the same container with the same trade description.

Hazardous waste glass

Some waste glass exports are controlled under the Hazardous Waste Act (Regulation of Exports and Imports) 1989 (the Hazardous Waste Act). This law gives effect to the Basel Convention (the Convention) in Australia.

Exports of waste glass will require a hazardous waste export permit under the Hazardous Waste Act instead of a waste export licence under the RaWR Act if any of the following apply:

• it is from a cathode ray tube (CRT)
• it is mixed with other wastes for example plastics, metals, food waste
• it contains contaminants listed in Annex I of the Convention, regardless of the amount
• any of the import or transit countries control the material under the Convention or related agreements.

Waste glass may require a hazardous waste export permit instead of a waste export licence if it comes from sources such as:

• medical waste
• solar panels, or 
• e-waste.

To determine whether your waste requires a hazardous waste export permit instead of a waste export licence, you should:

• read about Exporting, importing or transiting hazardous waste
• check import restrictions, such as contamination limits, with the Competent Authority of the import country as well as each transit country.

If you are unsure whether your waste is hazardous, contact the Hazardous Waste team at hazardous.waste@nationalepa.gov.au.

Apply for a licence

Find out more about applying for a licence to export waste glass:

• Apply for a licence
• Evidence to provide with your licence application – general
• Evidence to provide with your licence application – glass

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