By Anil Mathews (ScrapMonster Author)
May 25, 2016 04:48:53 AM
BEIJING (Scrap Monster): Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Minister Lee Ying-yuan has called for restrictions on scrap metal imports by the country. According to him, the imports are a threat to environmental protection. In addition, he noted that the contribution made by scrap metal imports to the country’s economy and jobs sector is not sizeable, considering the environmental pollution caused by it.
Threat to environment
According to the Minister, Erren River in southern Taiwan remains highly polluted, thanks to rising scrap imports and dismantling activities. The river contains huge quantities of remains of dismantled ships and scrap metal submerged in it. The presence of scrap metal tends to pollute the river and its tributaries.
Economic impact
As per data, scrap metal imports generate revenue of NT$1.95 billion (US$59.68 million). On the other hand, it takes nearly NT $2 billion to clean up the river. Lee Ying-yuan proposed that scrap metal imports, at the expense of environment, need not be encouraged. Earlier, Taiwan had relied much on metal recycling for jobs. The situation has changed. Today, scrap metal imports are not the only and main contributor of jobs.
Import statistics
The Taiwanese steel scrap imports had reported sharp jump of 16% during the month of March, after posting decline during the initial two months of the year.
Scrap imports-Mar ‘16
According to latest trade data released by the Taiwan Directorate General of Customs, the country’s scrap steel imports during the month of March this year climbed higher significantly when compared with the imports during the previous month. The steel scrap imports by the country totaled 227,000 tons tons during the month. The imports were up 16% when compared with Feb ’16.
Taiwan’s major importing countries included the US, Japan and Hong Kong. The US regained its position as the largest exporter of scrap steel to Taiwan.
The US was the largest exporter of scrap steel to Taiwan during the month. The country’s imports from the US totaled 101,334 tons, accounting for over 44% of the total imports by Taiwan during the month. The import prices averaged at NT$5,390 per ton during the month.
The second largest exporter of steel scrap was Japan. The exports from Japan to Taiwan totaled 88,215 tons. The imports from Japan accounted for nearly 39% of the total imports by Taiwan during the month. The steel scrap import prices averaged at NT$5,670 per ton.
In third place was Hong Kong with 14,091 tons. Hong Kong’s market share in Taiwan’s monthly imports stood at over 6%. The average price of scrap steel imports from Hong Kong stood at NT$5,570 per ton.
Scrap Imports-Feb ‘16
The ferrous scrap imports by Taiwan during February this year dropped sharply over the previous year. However, the scrap imports increased modestly when compared with the previous month.
The scrap imports by Taiwan during the month totaled 210,294 tons. The imports tumbled by 37.5% when compared with the scrap imports during the same month a year ago. Meantime, the scrap imports have soared higher by 10.5% over the previous month. Taiwan had imported 190,256 tons of scrap during the month of January this year.
The largest scrap exporter to Taiwan was Japan. The scrap imports by Taiwan from Japan totaled 107,532 tons. The scrap imports from the country accounted for over 51% of the total scrap imports by Taiwan during the month. The US scrap exports to Taiwan declined significantly by 28.5% year-on-year. The second largest scrap exporter to Taiwan during the month was the US. The imports from the country totaled 67,052 tons, accounting for approximately 32% of the total scrap imports by Taiwan during the month. The scrap imports from the US dropped heavily by 25.8% year-on-year. In third place was Hong Kong with 7,809 tons. The scrap imports from Hong Kong plummeted by 62.8% over the previous year.
Scrap Imports-Mar ‘16
The scrap imports by Taiwan during the month of January this year totaled over 171,000 tons. The imports dropped by nearly 2% when compared with the scrap imports during the month before. Taiwan had imported 174,000 tons of scrap during the month of December last year.
The largest scrap exporter to Taiwan during Jan ’16 was the United States. The scrap imports by Taiwan from the US totaled 56,293 tons. The scrap imports from the country accounted for almost one-third of the total scrap imports by Taiwan during the month. The second largest scrap exporter to Taiwan during the month was Japan. The imports from the country totaled 54,958 tons, accounting for approximately 32% of the total scrap imports by Taiwan during the month.
