This indicator shows the annual quantity of hazardous or non-hazardous waste exported from and imported to Slovenia, for which approval must be obtained. The terms 'export' and 'import' are used for transboundary shipments of waste regardless of whether or not they concern shipments within or outside the European Union.

Transboundary shipping of waste is governed by the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia – International Agreements, Nos. 15/93, 2/00 and 23/04), and Regulation (EC) No. 1013/06 on shipments of waste (OJ L, No. 190/06). The Regulation implements the Basel Convention, the OECD Council Decision on the control of transboundary movements of wastes, and the Lomé Convention.

Import of waste to Slovenia for the purpose of depositing into or onto land is prohibited. This is only allowed when such waste will be safely recovered and disposed of in some other manner and when sufficient technical capacities are available. Export of waste from Slovenia for disposal purposes is only allowed when sufficient technical capacities and facilities required for harmless disposal are not available in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia or when such export is not in conflict with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No. 1013/06.

Control of transboundary transport of waste was largely put in place due to the fact that countries exported their hazardous waste for disposal. In most cases, the cost of export was low compared to waste treatment in the source country, but disposal in the recipient country did not always comply with the principles of protection of human health and the environment. After 1990, transboundary movement of waste gradually became regulated. Regulations require the Member States to become self-sufficient in waste disposal, to recover or dispose of waste as close as possible to the location of its generation and to give priority to recovery over disposal. Also, the Member States are obliged to ensure environmentally friendly waste management and prevent illegal shipments of waste.

The quantity of internationally shipped waste is largely influenced by the differences in recovery and disposal prices, insufficient domestic capacities for waste recovery and the requirements for special recovery technologies. Generally, larger countries have a greater variety of and more technologically advanced facilities for recovery and disposal of waste.

The export of waste from Slovenia has been increasing since 2005. A slight decrease was recorded only in 2009. An increase in the years immediately following 2005 was largely the result of a larger volume of sludge from urban wastewater treatment plants. In 2005, the export of sludge from urban wastewater treatment plants amounted to approximately 1,730 tonnes (7% of the total quantity of exported waste), in 2006 to approximately 14,200 tonnes (36% of the total quantity), and in 2007, approximately 21,600 tonnes (31% of the total quantity). Export of certain other types of waste increased as well, e.g. waste from (mechanical) waste treatment that does not contain hazardous substances, combustible waste, solid waste containing hazardous substances from the treatment of hazardous gases and waste from the deinking of waste paper and board.

In 2013, Slovenia exported 192,000 tonnes of waste. As many as 43% of exported waste belongs to the category of ‘other waste’ (including mixtures of materials) from mechanical waste treatment, while the second largest group is represented by sludge from wastewater treatment plants (19%). Exports also consisted of mixed waste in which at least one type of waste was classified as hazardous (7%), solid waste from waste gas treatment and combustible waste (both 4%). Exported waste was mostly disposed of or recovered in Austria (47%), Hungary (35%) and Germany (9%), and smaller quantities in Slovakia, Poland, Italy, Bulgaria and France. While most exported waste was intended for recovery, 18% (34,097 tonnes) was disposed of (mostly hazardous waste), which is slightly more than the previous year.

The quantity of imported waste remains relatively stable. In 2013, 34,000 tonnes of waste was imported to Slovenia. This was mostly waste lead batteries from Italy, Hungary and Croatia, and partly also from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Montenegro, France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Serbia to be recovered by the company MPI-Reciklaža d. o. o. (87%). In 2013, combustible waste was also imported (7%) from Austria and sludge containing hazardous substances from physical-chemical treatment (4%) from Italy. All imported waste was recovered in Slovenia.

Over the last decade, the European Union Member States have been facing increased cross-boundary transport of waste. According to the Eurostat data, the quantity of hazardous waste shipped between EU Member States or outside the EU in the period 2001–2012 increased by 66%, from 3,164,000 tonnes in 2001 to 5,249,000 tonnes in 2012. Most waste crossing borders in small-quantity shipments (between 2.5 and 8 kg per capita) is received by Germany, Belgium and France.

The quantity of exported waste intended for disposal increased from 600,000 tonnes in 2001 to 1.4 million tonnes in 2012, while the quantity intended for recovery increased from 2.4 million tonnes to 3.8 million tonnes.

According to an EEA study (2012), a special example of transboundary shipments of waste is electric and electronic equipment exported from the EU to African and Asian countries, where components are to be reused. It is hard to determine whether the equipment is exported as used goods, which is acceptable, or as waste intended for disposal, which is unacceptable. In general, export of waste electric and electronic equipment from the EU to non-members of OECD is prohibited. In order to reuse metals, components are often burned outside, which usually causes the release of fly ash and other toxic substances into the air and greater exposure to the population of such substances, while the contamination of food, soil and surface water becomes more likely as well. Europol has been recording an increase in illegal waste trade within the EU. In some cases, exported waste that is marked for recycling is disposed of illegally. In order to assess the environmental and economic impacts of transboundary shipments of waste, more detailed information would be required on the types of shipped waste, as this is the only way to identify the reasons for shipping. A better overview of legal shipments of waste at the EU level could enable a more successful identification of illegal shipments.