China to ban Plastic Scrap imports by this year end

CHINA July 20 2017 3:52 PM
BEIJING (Scrap Register): China is looking forward to take a leap into a great decision as they told the World Trade Organization (WTO) that they will ban the imports of plastic scraps and other foreign garbage by the end of the year.

This move from China is taking heavy firing of criticism from the recycling industry as they state that it would be devastating and can cost thousands of U S jobs. China government responded by stating that this decision was taken to protect the public health and environment.

It is believed that the ban includes most scrap plastics, including PET, PVC, polyethylene and polystyrene, as well as mixed papers and slag. “We found that large amounts of dirty wastes or even hazardous wastes are mixed in the solid waste that can be used as raw materials,” China quoted to WTO.

One of the Chinese plastics recycling group said that a month long crackdown on plastics recyclers which started on July 1 had resulted in examining 888 factories by July 14. That’s about half of the 1792 factories licensed to import waste plastics.