The Measures on Management of Import of Solid Waste in China Entered into Force on 1 Aug 2011
The Measures on Management of Import of Solid Waste (hereinafter referred to as the Measures) entered into force on 1 Aug 2011 in China. The Measures are issued jointly by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), Ministry of Commerce, NDRC, General Administration of Customs and General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.
According to MEP data, the actual import volume of solid waste used as raw materials such as waste paper, waste plastics, waste hardware, waste iron & steel, aluminum waste scrape and copper waste scrape was over 40 million t in 2010. Yet in the past ten years, Chinese environmental problems, such as heavy metal pollution at some coastal cities, has become even more severe.
By placing tougher control on the import of solid waste, Chinese government plans to combine the proper utilization of foreign solid waste as raw materials with the nationwide scheme of energy saving and emission reduction. The government also calls on departments of environment, commerce and quality supervision to develop concerted efforts and strengthen joint supervision and management on the import and operation activities of solid waste.
According to the Measures, both overseas suppliers and importers of solid waste shall register themselves with the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.
The Measures has improved the supervision system for import of solid waste and stipulates the following 9 bans:
- Dumping, stockpile and disposal of overseas solid waste shall be banned within the territory of the People's Republic of China;
- Movement of hazardous waste in transit through the territory of the People's Republic of China shall be banned;
- Import of hazardous waste shall be banned;
- The import of solid waste for recycling heat energy shall be banned;
- The import of solid waste failing to be used as raw materials or employed in an environment-friendly way shall be banned;
- The import of solid waste with big domestic generation or stockpile volume that has not under full utilization shall be banned;
- The import of solid waste without applicable compulsory requirements such as national environmental protection control standards or relevant technical norms shall be banned;
- Entrepot trade of solid waste shall be banned;
- Acceptance of carriage of solid waste into the territory of the People's Republic of China in the form of “to order” shall be banned.
The Measures also stipulates that any enterprise engaged in processing and utilization of imported solid waste should carry out routine environmental monitoring on the discharge of pollutants. Environmental protection departments shall strengthen on-the-site inspection and monitoring to prevent any secondary pollution during processing and utilization process.
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