Morocco Tightens Regulations on Waste Imports, Prioritizing Environmental Safety

The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Environment is firm: "The Kingdom is committed today and as always not to accept the import of toxic waste that is dangerous to the environment and that does not comply with national standards governed by Article 42 of Law No. 28.00 published on December 7, 2006 on waste management and disposal," the ministry said in a statement on Monday.

The ministry recalls that Morocco has been importing waste for several years. But non-toxic and non-hazardous waste for the environment, usable in a series of manufacturing industries. This clarification, to put an end to the controversy following the publication of the two ministerial decisions relating to the application of certain provisions of Decree No. 2.17.587 setting the conditions and procedures for the import, export and transit of waste. In other words, the Kingdom is making a selective import.

The Kingdom imported, between 2016 and 2019 (before the publication of the two decisions, specifies the press release) nearly 1.6 million tons of this waste; waste that actually constitutes raw materials for energy and industry such as fabric, plastic, paper and minerals.

The role of civil society is welcome, the minister has welcomed, who wishes a strong and active involvement of the associative actors working in the field, since these two decisions have come to frame the process of importing non-hazardous waste and not to authorize it and to ensure an integrated legal framework for waste import, export and transit operations in the Kingdom.