On Monday 22 October, five members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), led by the European Union and the United States, summoned China to clarify its restrictions to the import of residual materials.
They asked Beijing for more transparency on the existing bans as well, as about the possibility of new restrictions, stating that any unpredictable policy disrupted the global recycling chain.
The EU also asked for a detailed description of the procedures applicable to waste.
Since the start of the year, China has banned the import of 24 types of solid waste in four classes, such as plastic wastes, unsorted waste paper, waste textile materials and some slag.
This measure, which was announced barely six months earlier at the WTO, in July 2017, provoked reactions of concern on the EU side, since over 85% of plastic waste takes the road for China. But it doubtless gave the last nudge to the European strategy on plastics, presented during the course of January 2018 (see EUROPE 11940).
According to a WTO source, certain members are reportedly now concerned about what Beijing might be considering as new restrictions, which could include up to 32 recyclable materials.
China responded that it planned to notify the Committee on Import Licensing of a catalogue of solid waste to which these restrictions could be applied. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)