China’s scrap collectors to be licensed?

Archiv – An estimated 10 million Chinese scrap collectors may soon be required to obtain a business licence.An estimated 10 million Chinese scrap collectors may soon be required to obtain a business licence. A regulation on recycling resources which came into effect on May 1 stipulates that scrap collectors should not only secure a business licence but also register with local commerce bureaus responsible for the recycling sector.
The Chinese government wants to regulate the sector in order to create a more sophisticated approach to recycling. However, scrap collectors – most of whom lack significant formal education or skills training – tend not to operate from a fixed place, which is a requirement for a business licence.
While many say the proposal is unworkable, some recyclers are in favour of licensing because they believe it would legitimise their work and would eliminate harassment by local administrators for working in an unregulated sector.