Just this year, the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Administration of Mawei, Fujian Province, has seized 75 tons of environmentally unsafe waste plastic in four batches imported from Japan. The "foreign waste" has all been returned to Japan as unfit goods.
The four batches of imported goods are PE thin-film, of which a large part was in poor sanitary condition, not having been washed before importing. The inspection and quarantine administrative department of Fujian Province has already reported the event to Japan-China Commodities Inspection Co Ltd.
Related officials reveal that some overseas exporters are suspected of malicious deceit. It was reported that a few bundles of clean goods were placed around the door of the container to possibly disguise unclean ones lying behind it. Some Chinese importers, especially those who have just begun in the raw waste material business, have a weak awareness of environmental standards, and don’t usually write clauses concerning environmental protection into their contracts, giving overseas, possibly corrupt, businessmen opportunities.
In such situations, the inspection and quarantine department of Fujian has strengthened its force in inspecting imported goods strictly in accordance with related environmental standards, and requires importers of waste material to include clauses of environmental protection into contracts signed with overseas parties. The clause states that overseas imported commodities must meet environmental standards set by the Chinese government and smuggling of hazardous wastes, under the control of the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movement of Hazardous Waste and Their Disposal, and other waste is strictly forbidden.
The Fujian inspection and quarantine department has import behavior files on domestic business organizations, waste recycling units, agents and overseas exporters. Those exposed as having discredited environmental standards, priority inspections will be implemented.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Tingting, October 21, 2003)
