ISRI reports that China is poised to issue final scrap import guidelines

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The government relations department of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, issued an email Nov. 13, 2017, noting that the Chinese government is expected to release final scrap import guidelines in two to four weeks.

The email states: “Industry contacts believe the Chinese government will finalize the contaminants thresholds in its Environmental Protection Control standards for scrap (GB 16487) at 1 percent for ferrous and nonferrous metals, 1 percent for paper and 0.5 percent for plastics. This information has been reported in the media, but it cannot be confirmed until the Chinese government issues the final regulation.”

ISRI says it learned of the development while attending the China Nonferrous Metals Association conference in Ningbo, China, in early November.  

The association says the timeline for compliance is unknown at this point, adding, “Until then, ISRI members and Chinese customers report that materials are entering China under the current rules.”

ISRI is reporting that Chinese industry associations think the new thresholds are a “victory” for the industry because they are preferable to the 0.3 percent threshold for “carried waste” that China originally published in August.

ISRI says questions China’s scrap import guidelines can be directed to Adina Renee Adler, ISRI senior director of international relations, at aadler@isri.org.