About
Chapter 13 of the Norwegian Waste Regulation (Norw: avfallsforskriften) implements the EU Waste Shipment Regulation. It is thus prohibited to export hazardous waste (including ships) from Norway to non-OECD countries.
If a company wilfully or through gross negligence substantially violates the provisions, it may be liable to fines or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years. Contribution to an offence and an attempted offence may also lead to penalties. The Company may be liable for the actions of anyone acting on its behalf, even if no physical person may be penalised for the offence.
Before exporting a vessel that is not subject to the Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation for scrapping, the shipowner must obtain approval from the Norwegian Environmental Agency.
Who does it impact?
Everyone involved in treatment and exportation of waste, e.g. the ship recycling industry and in particular, owners of ships operating in Norwegian waters.
Status: In force
In force from 1 January 2015. A process for amending the Norwegian Waste Regulation to align with the new EU Waste Regulation has been initiated.
Relation to other initiatives and regulations
Chapter 13 of the Norwegian Waste Regulation implements the EU Waste Shipment Regulation (EU 1013/2006) into Norwegian law, which in turn is an implementation of the Basel Convention.
The Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation is an important exception from the Norwegian Waste Regulation. However, it is important to note that the new EU Waste Shipment Regulation, also contains an amendment to the EU Ship Recycling Regulation. This change mean that ships that become waste while located within an area under the national jurisdiction of an EU/EEA Member State may only be exported to countries listed in Annex VII to the Basel Convention, i.e. to OECD-countries.
For vessels that are subject to the Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation, this is of limited significance as none of the shipyards for recycling on the European List are in non-OECD states as of September 2025.
Participants
Relevant governmental bodies are the Ministry of Climate and Environment, The Norwegian Environment Agency and The Norwegian Maritime Authority.
Thommessen's comments
With regard to ship recycling, the Norwegian Waste Regulation only applies to ships exported from Norway. Thus, it is the geographical location that will determine the applicability of the Regulation, and the Regulation will not apply to ships registered in Norway if the ship is located somewhere else.
With regard to ship recycling, ships will normally be regarded as 'hazardous waste' due to the presence of substances being explosive, inflammable, toxic, harmful to human health, the environment etc.
The practical implication is that exportation of ships from Norway for recycling requires approval from the Norwegian Environmental Agency before exportation. An important exception applies for ships that are subject to the Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation.
As the Norwegian Waste Regulation is an implementation of the EU Waste Shipment Regulation, it is also necessary to look to the EU Waste Shipment Regulation for a complete understanding of the applicable regulatory framework. A new EU Waste Shipment Regulation was introduced in 2024, but the Norwegian Waste Regulation has not yet been amended to reflect the most recent changes in the EU. As of June 2025, the Pollution Control Act has been amended to grant the Norwegian Environmental Agency the power to enact the necessary legislation to incorporate the new EU Waste Shipment Regulation.