New Measures on Supervision and Control by the Customs to Key Imported Solid Waste
China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association Recycling Metal Branch Mr. Ma Hongchang

In order to strengthen the supervision and control to the imported solid waste and to crack down on smuggling activities using imported solid waste, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) issued Administration of Classified Shipments to Key Imported Solid Waste (Scrap Metal, Waste Plastic, Waste Paper) (GAC No. 21 (2010)) in March 29, 2010.

I. The necessity of shipping the key solid waste by type. There are the following problems for importing solid waste.
(I) For the purpose of tax evasion or direct smuggling, the waste with different values is declared as a lower price by using hiding, false or concealed declaration.
(II) The waste reached Hongkong, by taking the facilities of free port, is carried out less container loaded and mixed loading, and then transported to the domestic ports.
(III) The activities, including smuggling of high-value goods, such as imported medical equipment, computer components, automobile, etc, and malicious evasion of tax, have increased by using the "mixed shipment" method.

II. New measures used by the Customs
The Customs has issued No. 21 Announcement, required separate loading and the simple package of pre-shipment and standardized the declaration for key imported solid waste (scrap metal, waste plastic, waste paper). But less than 2% shall not be regarded as mixed shipment.
(I) Any container shall not be a mixed shipment, including key solid waste, other non-solid waste and the goods which is not included in solid waste.
(II) The separated loading shall be used for the key imported solid waste in a container, some simple treatments, such as binding, strapping, packaging, etc, must be carried out before shipping, the declaration by items shall comply with the requirements. 2% of the weight of mixed solid waste, or 2% of the load in a container is not considered as mixed shipment.
(III) In addition to containers, the loose cargo mixed with two or more other key solid waste must be sorted under the supervision of the Customs, declared under the requirements when entering the country.

III. How to understand the new requirements for separate loading
(I) As the import of solid waste is mainly from Europe, America and Japan, and the single cargo shipment, classified packaging and shipment are used for the auction of waste, the new requirements has a little influence on the solid waste from Europe, America and Japan, but can fight against the illegal activities which the waste is, through less container loaded and mixed loading, shipped from the shipping port, such as Hongkong, overseas, etc, to Mainland of China.
(II) The simple treatment to key solid waste before shipping shall mean a simple binding, strapping or packaging, or other isolation measures, which isolate various waste and give a declaration by types.
(III) For the imported waste aluminum cuttings, 2% shall mean the key solid waste shall not exceed 2% except waste aluminum cuttings, the reason is the waste aluminum has a variety of scrap metals.
(IV) In order to encourage the enterprises to enter the park for processing the imported waste, the enterprises in the park is, after being submitted to and approved by the General Administration of Customs, allowed to sort and declare by items for different key solid waste using mixed shipment. Therefore, the enterprises in the park won't have any great impact.

If you have any question, please contact Mr. Ma Hongchang
Contact: 010-82298122
13601007535