China’s import demands ‘not unreasonable’

China – ‘China will put more efforts toward green development, recycled development and low-carbon development,’ the country’s new president Xi Jinping told delegates at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2013 last week. He added that China ‘needs to balance industrial development with green, sustainable development’. The statement was made alongside China’s ‘Operation Green Fence’ mounted against low-quality imports. To date, this crackdown by the Chinese government has led to roughly 70% of all incoming containers being subjected to careful inspection.

According to Dr Simon Ellin, chief executive of the UK’€™s Recycling Association, the Chinese requirement that incoming recovered fibre should contain less than 1.5% out-throws is ‘not unreasonable and is attainable’. He has told letsrecycle.com that, at present, the UK supplies around 10% of China’s recovered paper imports, adding: ‘For the UK to continue the sustainable growth of our recycling industry, we need to ensure that we work to the highest possible standards to protect our position as a leading exporter to China.’

Over the years, the recycling industry has ‘proved to be very adept at adapting to changes in the industry’, states Dr Ellin. He expects all Recycling Association members to ‘comfortably meet the quality requirements of all markets’ but also asserts: ‘If there are operators out there who are not focusing their attention on quality, they are in for a rude awakening.’

For more information, visit: www.therecyclingassociation.com