Policy Update in May

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[Shenzhen, Chongqing, Sanya and Other 11 Cities were Identified as “No Waste City” Construction Pilot] On April 29th, according to the latest news of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, 11 pilot cities are Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Baotou, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Tongling, Anhui province, Weihai, Shandong province, Chongqing (main districts), Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, Sanya, Hainan province, Xuchang, Henan province, Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, Panjin, Liaoning province, Xining, Qinghai province.

 

[The Ministry of Ecology and Environment: Strive to Approve and Issue the First List of Import License for Scrap Metal at the End of June] On May 29th, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment held a regular press conference in May. The leaders of MEE introduced situation and answered issues of concern.

Reuters reporter: What is the effectiveness of the ban on “foreign waste”? In addition, a new list of solid waste restricting to import will be effected from July 1st. It is understood that enterprises engaged in the import and processing of solid waste  have not received new import licenses and related quotas so far, resulting in very tight market sentiment at home and abroad. May I ask the current status of import applications received by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and local provincial department of Ecology and Environment? When will the applicant who passed the approval get response?

Liu Youbin, Spokesperson of MEE: Since 2019, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, together with the General Administration of Customs and other relevant departments, have continued to implement the ban on the import of foreign waste as the landmark move of ecological civilization construction, and to promote the reform smoothly and orderly. 3.43 million tonnes of solid waste were imported in the first quarter of 2019, a decrease of 37.6% year on year, of which the import volume of solid waste restricted to import was 2.715 million tonnes, a decrease of 38.5% year on year. We have mainly carried out the following works:

First, actively promoted the revision of the Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution of Solid Wastes, and strive for the early revision and introduction of the law to provide a solid legal guarantee for the comprehensive ban on the entry of foreign waste and the reform of the solid waste import management system.

Second, promoted international conventions on the control of plastic waste. In May, 2019, at the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention, actively proposed to fully control the transboundary movements of plastic waste. With the insistence and efforts of China delegation, “parties may adopt more strict requirements” “import of plastic waste can refer to implement the relevant international and national technical documents” etc., were included in the annex of Convention, that is, parties have the right to determine whether to ban the import of such wastes in accordance with their own circumstances.

Third, strengthened the environmental supervision of solid waste processing and utilization enterprises. During May15th-24th, MEE carried out supervision and inspection on the environmental violation of processing and utilization enterprises imported non-restricted solid waste such as copper scrap, aluminum scrap and scrap iron and steel, enterprises subjected to administrative penalties for the existence of environmental violation, their applications for the import of solid waste will not be accepted in accordance with the law.

Fourth, to ensure the approval and issuance of import license later this year. In last December, MEE and the relevant departments adjusted the Catalogue of Imported Waste Management8 varieties of solid waste, such as waste and scrap of iron and steel, copper scrap, aluminum scrap, etc., are adjusted from Catalogue of Solid Waste Non-restricted to import as raw material to Catalogue of Solid Waste Restricted to import as raw material, and it will be effected from July 1st, 2019.

 

[Premier Li Keqiang Signed Order of the State Council to Announce Measures for the Recycling and Management of Waste Motor Vehicle] Premier Li Keqiang signed an order of the State Council to announce the Measures for the Recycling and Management of Waste Motor Vehicle. It will be effected from June 1st, 2019.

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