China's Environmental Measures Affecting Trade in Waste, Scrap, and Recycled Materials

July 2017: The world's largest importer and recycler of scrap metals, plastic, and paper, notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) that starting Dec. 31, 2017 it will prohibit the import of a wide range of materials such as household plastics scrap, unsorted waste paper, discarded textiles, and vanadium slag.

November 2017: China notified the WTO that as of March 1, 2018 there will be revised standards for the import of certain materials, including new limits for carried waste of allowable contaminants in shipments of materials.

Private service providers and local governments have made substantial changes to their operations in response to the prohibition and revised standards, and the sharp decrease in import licenses issued by Beijing in late 2017 and 2018.

Recycling Council of Ontario is pleased to a host complimentary webinar featuring senior representatives from Environment and Climate Change Canada and Global Affairs Canada.

Host:

Jo-Anne St. Godard
Executive Director
Recycling Council of Ontario

Featuring:

Julie Croteau
Head, International Section
Waste Reduction & Management Division
Environment & Climate Change Canada

Andrew Wright
Trade Policy Officer
Technical Barriers and Regulations Division
Global Affairs Canada

Webinar Objectives

Provide an open forum for impacted stakeholders to improve their understanding of China's new environmental measures affecting trade in waste, scrap and recycled materials under their National Sword initiative.

Understand China's ban and revised standards in relation to the Basel Convention and:

• material management industry
• local governments
• private sector generators
• producer responsibility and stewardship program operators
• provincial policy-makers

Understand policy changes of the Government of Canada as it relates to the exportation and importation of hazardous waste and hazardous recyclable material

Discussion Topics

China's notifications under the WTO
China's import prohibition of certain materials
China's revised standards for import of other materials
The Basel Convention
Canada's federal Regulations
Canadian stakeholder responsibility & liability

Contact

rco@rco.on.ca