China Implements Stricter Regulation on Solid Waste Importation from 2018
 


With the increasing awareness of environmental protection in China, the Chinese government issued more and more strict regulations to prevent and control pollution, including enhancing solid waste importation control.
 
On August 10, 2017, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Commerce and three other ministries jointly issued the announcement regarding updated Administrative Catalogue of Waste Importation (2017) which has become effective from December 31, 2017. This Catalogue added 24 types of solid waste listed under 4 categories to the import ban list, including 8 types of waste plastic from living sources, 1 type of unsorted waste paper, 11 types of waste raw materials of textile and 4 types of vanadium slag.
 
Legal Consequences
According to the relevant regulations of China, if dumping, storing and disposing the foreign solid waste in China, importing the banned solid waste or the restricted solid waste without license, the customs shall order to return the solid waste, and a fine of not less than RMB 100,000 yuan but not more than RMB 1,000,000 yuan may be imposed. If the act constitutes a crime, criminal charges may be brought up. If the importer is unknown, the carrier shall be liable for returning the solid waste or bear the disposal cost of the solid waste.
 
Recommendations
 
We suggest that owners should take relevant measures to verify whether the shipments belong to the banned or restricted solid waste before accepting the booking, including requesting the book party to provide accurate information, customs code and relevant license of the shipment.
 

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