Dive summary:
- China’s crackdown on dirty scrap materials has cut down the import of plastic waste into China by 5.5% during the past four months.
- While everyone in the waste industry knew the tightening of regulations would have an adverse effect on import numbers, this is the first solid number China’s General Administration of Customs has released.
- Before this year, the Chinese recycling market had always seen steady growth.
From the article:
While that drop may sound small, it's a major change in direction for an industry that has seen scrap polymer imports grow four-fold in the last decade and was accustomed to nothing but increasing volumes.
Chinese government officials say they are trying to limit pollution from dirty or contaminated waste materials such as scrap paper or plastics from other countries, and see the policy as a way to force the local industry to upgrade to higher, cleaner standards.
But some recycling industry executives, while supporting those goals, say the policies are also hurting legitimate businesses by causing long delays clearing materials at customs, creating shortages of materials in manufacturing plants, and cutting into profits. ...
