July 05, 2017 03:30:19 AM
BEIJING (Scrap Monster): The Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection has decided to go tough on waste and scrap imports into the country. According to an e-mail alert sent by the world recycling organization Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) to its members, the country has set up nearly 60 inspection squads. The squads will conduct thorough inspection and review of all waste and scrap importing firms in the country in order to ensure that they trade in compliance with state regulations and laws.
With effect from June this year, the country had temporarily stopped imports of some waste and scrap. The affected materials include waste, parings and scrap of plastics; other waste paper or paperboard, including unsorted waste and scrap; mixed waste metals; waste electric motors; waste wires. It must be noted that the shipments authorized before June 2017 are not impacted. Further, BIR noted that China has not issued any formal import ban on these materials. However, the temporary stoppage would be applicable to imports that are authorized after June 1st, 2017.
Also, towards the end of June, the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection has formed as many as 60 inspection squads. These inspection teams will inspect all Chinese firms importing waste and scrap. The inspections are likely to run through the whole month of July. BIR urged its members to report any incidence of disruption in scrap trade on account of new import restrictions imposed by Chine authorities.
BIR had earlier warned its members of the possibility of Chinese customs agency further tightening its campaign against material imports from other countries. The recycling trade body had cautioned its members about new set of regulations to restrict imports into the country and had instructed them to make necessary adjustments to their business models to stay updated with the new regulations. There were also rumors that certain scrap categories such as scrap motors, scrap wire and cable and mixed metal scrap are likely to get added to the list of prohibited items for import by 2018. The members had reported unprecedented delay in customs clearance of their plastic scrap shipments destined to Chinese importers.
The newly imposed restrictions are considered to be a part of one-year long ‘National Sword’ campaign launched during the early months of 2017. The campaign carried out in co-operation with the Excise Department targets imported scrap materials with special focus on illegal shipment of industrial waste, electronics waste, plastics and other solid waste. National Sword 2017 is aimed at boosting domestic scrap collection and recovery by putting tight controls on imported waste and scrap.
