China will totally ban import of waste plastic in 2019

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–China will completely ban the import of waste plastics with effect from 1st January 2019, as part of the government’s initiative to improve the environment of the country.

The newly set up Ministry of Ecology and Environment – with enhanced powers to regulate and address environmental issues – announced the prohibition of solid waste imports on 19 April.

Earlier this month the ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Commence, the Development and Reform Commission, and the General Administration of Customs shifted the industrial source waste plastics from the “limited import solid waste plastic catalogue” into “prohibited import solid waste catalogue”.

The HS code 39151000 waste and scraps of polyethylene and HS code 391590900 wastes and scraps of other plastics, excluding crumbles of discarded compact disks were both in the list.

The new policy means that China will totally prohibit the import of waste plastics after initial restrictions on 18th April 2017, industry sources said.

China imported 2,788 tonnes of waste and scraps of polyethylene and wastes and scraps of other plastics from January to February.

ICN