Information for suppliers of sorted or processed waste plastic

From 1 July 2021, exporters of waste plastic need a waste export licence to export sorted or processed plastic.

Your buyers (the exporters) may need information from you to include in their licence application.

For each type of plastic your buyers buy from you, they need all the following:

• an appropriate specification for the plastic type
• evidence of your ability to sort and/or process the plastic type to that specification
• evidence of their commercial relationship with you to buy the plastic type.

Specifications

If you sort or process waste plastic to a specification listed on our website, let your buyer know the specification name as stated on the website.

If you sort or process waste plastic to a specification not listed on our website, give your buyer a copy of the specification you use. This specification must state:

• the plastic polymer or resin type it is for. Examples include but are not limited to PET (polyethylene terephthalate), HDPE (high density polyethylene)
• any packaging requirements
• any colour requirements
• intended use of material
• if you further process the plastic, the form the plastic is processed into, for example, hot washed flakes or single resin pellets
• thresholds for contamination and other types of waste.

Contaminants include, but are not limited to:

• other types of plastics
• metals
• glass
• grease
• organic matter (such as dirt, mud, stones)
• paper or cardboard
• moisture
• other prohibited or hazardous materials.

As part of our assessment, we will consider if contamination thresholds are:

• low enough for the plastic to be considered ‘almost free of contamination’ and other types of waste
• appropriate for the intended use of the waste plastic.

Evidence of your ability to sort or process to the specification

We need to know you can sort and/or process the waste plastic to the specification you use.

To show this, you could give your buyer a copy of:

• 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 plastic meets the specification
• documents that show how the waste will be processed to the specification (e.g. business process manual that has information about process, machinery and equipment, photographs, and flowcharts)
• purchase records, clear photos and technical specifications (make, model and purpose) of the equipment or machinery and how it is used to sort or process the material to the specification.

For example, this evidence might show:

• your optical sorter can sort different polymers and different categories of polymers, for example clear and coloured PET or HDPE
• trommels and star screens, air knifes, magnetic and eddy separators, and other equipment that removes contaminants such as paper, glass, aluminium, and organics
• a granulator than can flake plastic to a specified size
• a pelletiser that cuts polymer strands into pellets
• an extrusion and pelletising machine that cuts, mixes, heats, dries and pre-compacts before degassing, filtering and extruding into pellets
• that differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) test results confirm the type and purity of the polymer.

Evidence of commercial arrangements with you

We need to know that your buyer has a commercial relationship with you to buy the type of plastic they export.

To show this, you could give them copies of:

• purchase orders, invoices or signed and/or stamped contracts with them to sort and/or process to the specification
• correspondence that shows you intend to enter into a commercial arrangement with them to sort or process to the specification.

Contact us

If you need further advice on documents to provide:

• phone us on 1800 852 974
• email exportwaste@awe.gov.au.