B3 Waste Transboundary Movement in Indonesia: Export Notification and Transit Requirements Under PP 22/2021

Executive Summary

Government Regulation No. 22 of 2021 (PP 22/2021) establishes Indonesia's regulatory framework for transboundary movement of B3 (hazardous and toxic) waste through BAB VII Paragraf 12 (Articles 408-409). These provisions implement Indonesia's obligations under the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.

The framework operates through a prior informed consent system requiring notification to receiving and transit countries before any export proceeds. Generators or exporters must submit comprehensive documentation covering ten categories of information to the Minister before international notification begins.

Export authorization involves dual-ministry approval. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry evaluates the notification and issues an export recommendation upon receiving consent from destination and transit countries. This recommendation then enables application for an export permit from the Ministry of Trade.

Transit through Indonesian territory requires separate notification with a mandatory 60-day ministerial response timeline. Rejection of transit applications must include stated reasons, ensuring procedural transparency.

Background & Context

Indonesia ratified the Basel Convention through Presidential Decree No. 61 of 1993, committing to international controls on hazardous waste trade. The Convention emerged from concerns about developed countries disposing of hazardous waste in developing nations with weaker environmental regulations, creating environmental injustice and ecological damage.

The prior informed consent principle forms the Convention's core mechanism. Exporting countries must notify receiving and transit countries before shipment, providing detailed information about waste characteristics and intended disposal methods. Receiving countries may consent, conditionally consent, or refuse. This ensures importing nations make informed decisions about accepting hazardous materials.

PP 22/2021 translates these international obligations into national law while integrating with Indonesia's broader environmental management framework. The regulation addresses export procedures comprehensively while establishing Indonesia's position as a potential transit country requiring notification from foreign shippers.

The dual-ministry approval structure reflects the intersection of environmental protection and trade regulation. Environmental authorities assess technical aspects of waste management and environmental soundness. Trade authorities regulate the commercial transaction aspects of international commerce.

Key Provisions

Transboundary Movement Definitions

The regulation establishes precise terminology for cross-border waste transactions.

Definition 75 (Pasal 1):

"Impor Limbah B3 adalah kegiatan memasukkan Limbah B3 ke dalam daerah pabean Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia."

B3 Waste Import is the activity of bringing B3 waste into the customs territory of the Republic of Indonesia. The customs territory reference aligns with trade law frameworks and clarifies jurisdictional scope.

Definition 76 (Pasal 1):

"Ekspor Limbah B3 adalah kegiatan mengeluarkan Limbah B3 dari daerah pabean Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia."

B3 Waste Export is the activity of removing B3 waste from the customs territory of the Republic of Indonesia. This definition covers all outbound B3 waste regardless of destination or purpose.

Definition 77 (Pasal 1):

"Notifikasi Ekspor Limbah B3 adalah pemberitahuan terlebih dahulu dari otoritas negara eksportir kepada otoritas negara penerima sebelum dilaksanakan perpindahan lintas batas Limbah B3."

Export Notification is advance notice from the exporting country's authority to the receiving country's authority before transboundary movement occurs. This definition incorporates the Basel Convention's prior informed consent requirement directly into Indonesian law.

Export Notification Procedure

Comprehensive notification requirements precede any B3 waste export.

Pasal 408 Ayat 1-2:

"(1) Dalam hal Limbah B3 akan diekspor ke negara penerima, Penghasil Limbah B3 atau eksportir Limbah B3 harus mengajukan permohonan notifikasi kepada Pemerintah Republik Indonesia melalui Menteri. (2) Permohonan notifikasi sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) dilengkapi dengan keterangan paling sedikit mengenai: a. identitas eksportir Limbah B3; b. negara tujuan ekspor Limbah B3; c. dokumen mengenai nama, sumber, karakteristik, dan jumlah Limbah B3 yang akan diekspor; d. alat angkut Limbah B3 yang akan digunakan; e. negara transit; f. tanggal rencana pengangkutan, pelabuhan atau terminal tujuan transit, waktu tinggal di setiap transit, dan pelabuhan atau terminal masuk dan keluar; g. dokumen mengenai asuransi; h. dokumen mengenai pengemasan Limbah B3; i. dokumen mengenai tata cara penanganan Limbah B3 yang akan diangkut; dan j. dokumen yang berisi pernyataan dari Penghasil Limbah B3 dan eksportir Limbah B3 mengenai keabsahan dokumen yang disampaikan."

Generators or exporters must submit notification applications to the Minister with comprehensive documentation. The ten required information categories ensure receiving countries have complete data for their consent decisions. Identity documentation establishes accountability. Waste characterization enables technical assessment of management requirements. Logistics information covers routing, timing, and transport methods. Insurance documentation addresses liability for potential incidents. The authenticity declaration creates legal accountability for information accuracy.

Dual Consent Requirement

Export proceeds only upon consent from both destination and transit countries.

Pasal 408 Ayat 3-4:

"(3) Pelaksanaan ekspor Limbah B3 dapat dilaksanakan apabila: a. notifikasi sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) yang dikirimkan oleh Pemerintah Republik Indonesia kepada negara penerima disetujui negara penerima; dan b. notifikasi sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) yang dikirimkan oleh Pemerintah Republik Indonesia kepada negara transit disetujui negara transit. (4) Dalam hal notifikasi sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (3) disetujui oleh otoritas negara tujuan ekspor dan negara transit Limbah B3, Menteri menerbitkan rekomendasi ekspor Limbah B3."

Export authorization requires affirmative consent from all countries involved. The Government of Indonesia transmits notifications to foreign authorities on behalf of the applicant. The Minister issues an export recommendation only after receiving approvals from destination and all transit country authorities.

Dual-Ministry Authorization

Two ministries must approve each B3 waste export transaction.

Pasal 408 Ayat 5-6:

"(5) Rekomendasi ekspor Limbah B3 sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (4) menjadi dasar penerbitan izin ekspor Limbah B3 yang diberikan oleh menteri yang menyelenggarakan urusan pemerintahan di bidang perdagangan. (6) Persyaratan dan tata cara permohonan dan penerbitan izin ekspor Limbah B3 dilaksanakan sesuai dengan ketentuan peraturan perundang-undangan."

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry recommendation enables but does not complete the authorization process. Applicants must separately obtain an export permit from the Ministry of Trade using the environmental recommendation as basis. This structure ensures both environmental protection and trade regulation considerations inform the final authorization decision.

Transit Through Indonesia

Foreign B3 waste transiting Indonesia requires separate approval.

Pasal 409:

"(1) Dalam hal Limbah B3 akan dimasukkan ke dalam wilayah Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia untuk tujuan transit, Pengangkut Limbah B3 melalui negara eksportir Limbah B3 harus mengajukan permohonan notifikasi kepada Pemerintah Republik Indonesia melalui Menteri. (2) Menteri memberikan jawaban berupa persetujuan atau penolakan atas permohonan notifikasi sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) dalam waktu paling lambat 60 (enam puluh) hari sebelum transit dilakukan. (3) Dalam hal Menteri menolak permohonan notifikasi sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (2) harus disertai dengan alasan penolakan."

Transit notification comes through the exporting country rather than directly from the transporter. The 60-day response deadline ensures timely decisions enabling shipping logistics planning. Mandatory rejection reasoning provides procedural transparency and enables applicants to understand grounds for refusal.

Implementation & Compliance

For Indonesian B3 Waste Generators

Export represents an option of last resort when domestic management capacity is unavailable. Generators should first exhaust domestic utilization, treatment, and disposal options before considering export.

When export becomes necessary, documentation preparation requires coordination with the intended foreign facility. Waste characterization must be sufficiently detailed for foreign authorities to assess management appropriateness. Transport logistics require advance planning given the multi-country notification and consent timeline.

The authenticity declaration carries legal significance. Generators and exporters assume responsibility for information accuracy, creating liability exposure if documents prove false or misleading.

For Export Service Providers

Exporters specializing in B3 waste trade must maintain relationships with foreign facilities having appropriate environmental authorizations. The notification process reveals whether proposed destinations have legitimate receiving capacity.

Insurance arrangements must address transboundary scenarios including incidents during international transport or at foreign facilities. Coverage scope should align with waste characteristics and quantities being shipped.

Documentation management becomes critical given the ten-category information requirements. Systematic record-keeping supports both initial notification and any subsequent compliance verification.

For Transit Operations

Foreign shippers routing through Indonesian territory must build the 60-day approval timeline into shipping schedules. Late applications risk transit denial or shipping delays.

The transit notification requirement applies regardless of whether the shipment touches Indonesian soil or only passes through Indonesian waters or airspace within the customs territory definition.

For Regulatory Planning

The dual-ministry structure means export authorization involves both environmental and trade agencies. Applications should anticipate coordination requirements between ministries and potential for different processing timelines.

The absence of specified timelines for Indonesian export notification processing (unlike the 60-day transit timeline) suggests variable processing periods depending on foreign country response times and documentation completeness.

Conclusion

PP 22/2021's transboundary movement framework faithfully implements Indonesia's Basel Convention obligations through comprehensive prior informed consent procedures. The ten-category documentation requirement ensures receiving countries have complete information for their consent decisions.

The dual-ministry authorization structure appropriately separates environmental assessment from trade regulation functions while requiring coordination before export proceeds. This structure prevents either consideration from being overlooked in authorization decisions.

The 60-day transit response requirement provides procedural certainty for foreign shippers while protecting Indonesia's sovereign authority to control hazardous materials transiting its territory. Mandatory rejection reasoning ensures transparency in negative decisions.

This framework positions transboundary movement as a controlled activity requiring extensive documentation, multiple governmental approvals, and international coordination rather than routine commerce in hazardous materials.

Official Source

This article analyzes Government Regulation No. 22 of 2021 on Environmental Protection and Management Implementation (PP 22/2021), specifically BAB VII Paragraf 12 (Pasal 408-409) on B3 Waste Transboundary Movement.

The official regulation text can be accessed at:

Primary Source:
PP No. 22 Tahun 2021 - BPK Regulation Portal

Alternative Sources:
- JDIH Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan

Official Gazette: Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2021 Nomor 32

Disclaimer

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