Solid waste smuggling rises three-fold
June 12, 2014 Category Environment, Pollution
Chinese Customs reported 221 instances of smuggling involving solid waste last year, a three-fold increase from 2012. Authorities confiscated 976,500 metric tons of illegal waste material last year, an increase of 150% from 2012. “Our intensified efforts and huge price differences for waste disposal between China and some developed countries contributed to the sharp increase in discoveries of solid waste being smuggled into China,” said Xu Wenrong, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Customs. The high cost of waste disposal has pushed some developed countries to discard their waste in developing countries, where illicit importers sort the material for large profits, he said. The imported solid waste includes recyclable and non-recyclable materials. Recyclable items include discarded steel and iron, which may be imported with the relevant permits. Non-recyclable items range from coal slag, chemicals and electronic waste to old clothes, building materials and medical waste. Imports of these are strictly prohibited. “The smuggling of foreign trash seriously pollutes the environment and brings great harm to public health,” Xu said. Smugglers collude with their overseas counterparts, who declare the items as “other articles” to pass customs checks. The items are sometimes hidden in other cargo and sent across porous borders, such as those between China and Vietnam, the China Daily reports.
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