Indonesia imposes preshipment inspection policy on fiber imports

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, has announced that starting April 1, 2018, the Indonesian government began implementing a 100 percent inspection policy at the supply’s origin as a requirement for recovered paper exports to Indonesia.

“It is our understanding this is a policy impacting the global recovered paper industry,” ISRI says in its May 31 weekly Leadership Update e-newsletter.

The new procedures are outlined in a notice from inspection company, Cotecna, ISRI says, which can be read here. These measures include differing procedures depending if the materials are all in one yard or if they come from multiple local or distant yards. Total weight and container details have to be provided within four days to the inspection office.

“This situation will create burdens on exporters in terms of time, cost and storage,” ISRI says. “More importantly, along with last week’s announcement on Vietnam, this measure confirms what ISRI worried could happen—with China’s import restrictions in place and materials diverting to new customers in Southeast Asia, these governments look to be considering imposing burdensome import restrictions and requirements that will challenge the industry’s ability to recover from China’s shrinking market.”

For any questions, ISRI directs members to contact Adina Renee Adler, ISRI senior director of government relations and international affairs, by email at aadler@isri.org.