More waste materials are likely to be banned from being imported into China, according to the country’s Environment Minister.
Speaking at a research meeting with members of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Li Ganjie said that Chinese President Xi Jinping has attached great importance to prevention and control of solid waste imports.
As a result, China will seek further tightening of the materials allowed to be exported to the country, and tougher inspections of those that are allowed.
He said: “We will adjust the list of imported waste, strictly control the examination and approval of imported solid waste, and strengthen the enforcement inspection of waste processing importers and utilisation enterprises.”
This announcement was made after China revealed that it will ban post-manufacturing plastics and other materials from entering the country.
The Minister also reiterated that his department plans revise the Solid Waste Pollution and Prevention and Control law and that in-depth research on preventing and controlling pollution from solid waste has begun.
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress vice chair Shen Yueyue said that in order to follow President Xi Jinping’s socialist ideology with Chinese characteristics, the Standing Committee was giving time to revise the laws on solid waste including “promoting the reform of the solid waste import management system”.
He added that it was important to “severely crack down on all types of environmental violations in the process of importing, processing and utilising solid waste”.
