Big jump in Chinese import tonnages

China has announced a marked increase in import quotas for metal scrap, the fifth batch released this year.

A total of 222 020 tonnes of copper scrap, 191 100 tonnes of aluminium scrap, 3 700 tonnes of steel scrap and 1 165 669 tonnes of paper scrap can enter China, according to the Solid Waste and Chemical Management Centre of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment on 10 April.

The fourth batch, announced on 9 March, had permitted much lower quotas: 3 520 tonnes of copper, 100 tonnes of aluminium, 170 tonnes of steel and 6 460 tonnes of paper.

The third batch of scrap quotas, announced in February, allowed 4 620 tonnes of copper, 1 440 tonnes of aluminium, 2 670 tonnes of steel and 22 750 tonnes of paper into China.