the US, European Union, Australia, Canada and New Zealand -- aired concerns this week regarding various import restrictions implemented by China on scrap material and their potential adverse impact on global recycling chains.
The US labeled the Chinese measures on imported scrap as "excessively trade restrictive, technically unfeasible and a de facto ban," according to a Geneva-based trade official.
On Tuesday, the second day of the WTO Goods Council meeting, the US noted that the Chinese measures now cover plastic, paper, textiles, ferrous and non-ferrous materials, wood, automotive and appliance waste parts.
Further issues were raised by the US regarding new rules implemented by China requiring 100% inspection and lab testing for all scrap entering China, limiting the available ports for scrap entry by January 2019 and a drafted law that aims to ban all imports of recyclable materials.
"Moreover, there does not appear to be equivalent domestic measures regulating Chinese scrap, the US noted," according to the trade official.
Some of the measures were implemented abruptly, catching recyclers off guard in some instances and preventing those companies from making the necessary investments to add recycling capacity, officials at the meeting noted.
US officials said that will have an "immediate, damaging and potentially lasting impact on global recycling networks."
China noted that it was imperative to improve its own domestic solid waste treatment, while restricting and prohibiting imports of the same, according to the official.
