The Chinese government has introduced a tightened1 ban on solid waste imports, according to an official document.
中国政府已经对固体垃圾进口实行严格的禁令。
Effective on Dec. 31, 2018, 32 types of solid waste will be banned from imports, according to the document released by the
Ministry2 of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the General Administration of Customs.
The newly-added products include hardware, ships,
auto3 parts, waste and
scrap4 of
stainless5 steel, titanium and wood.
China's imports of solid waste
slumped6 further in the first 10 months of 2018 as the government stepped up enforcement on a ban on solid waste imports.
The country began importing solid waste as a source of raw materials in the 1980s and for years has been the world's largest importer, despite a weak capacity in garbage disposal. Some companies illegally bring foreign waste into the country for profit, posing a threat to the environment and public health.
Given rising public
awareness7 and China's green development drive, the government last year
decided8 to phase out and halt such imports by the end of 2019, except for those containing resources not substitutable.