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Export-Import case study
Australia is not a big player in the waste
trade, but a good percentage of its exports
are shipped all the way to Europe. In 2000
Australia reported the export of 16 689 tonnes
of waste (all classified as hazardous) to New
Zealand, Belgium, Great Britain, France and
Austria. More than half the waste consisted of
used lead acid batteries, which were moved
across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand. Most
of the rest of the waste (described as lead
dross) was exported to Belgium. During that
same period Australia imported 1600 tonnes
of waste from New Zealand, Norway, French
Antarctic and South Africa. This included
mostly copper and lead compounds from New
Zealand, selenium from Norway and house-
hold waste from the French Antarctic base.
TRANSPORT AND TRADE
F
r
a
n
c
e
5
0
New
Zealand
Australia
U
n
i
t
e
d
K
i
n
g
d
o
m
9
8
A
u
s
t
r
i
a
5
B
e
l
g
i
u
m
7
2
0
8
The arrows are proportional to the volume of exported waste
Source: Basel Convention
9 328
Export of waste as reported by Australia, in tonnes, 2001
Total exports represent 16 679 tonnes
1
5
0
6
0
0
French Antarctica
Norway
South Africa
New
Zealand
Australia
60
The arrows are proportional to the volume of imported waste
Import of waste as reported by Australia, in tonnes, 2001
Total imports represent 1 578 tonnes
Source: Basel Convention