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China’s “unprecedented” move to stop plastics scrap imports had “surprised the whole world”, according to Dr Steve Wong of Fukutomi Co. Ltd and the China Scrap Plastics Association.

Tomra Sorting Recycling has published an e-book containing advice on how to meet the tough new rules for sending recyclable materials to China.

The global waste to energy market was valued at $32,567 million in 2016, and is projected to reach at $54,179 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 7.6% from 2017 to 2023.

It is estimated that, by the end of 2018, the number of shredders in China will have soared to around 200 from only 70 last year. According to the BIR Shredder Committee’s latest list, the global population of shredders is now thought to be 1048, including 322 in the USA and more than 300 in Europe.

EuRIC, the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation, and ETRA, the European Tyre Recycling Association, have announced their partner membership.

A trend towards the “unilateral imposition of regulations” was bemoaned by BIR World President Ranjit Singh Baxi of J&H Sales International during the world recycling organisation’s latest Paper Division meeting, held in Barcelona on May 28.

2018 was proving to be “a very challenging year” for the scrap industry, according to BIR Non-Ferrous Metals Division President David Chiao of the Uni-All Group in his opening remarks to the body’s latest meeting, held in Barcelona on May 28.

Environmental legislation is now regularly discussed in every division and committee within BIR, thereby fully validating the decision of the world recycling association to form the International Environment Council (IEC) approaching two decades ago.

The Chinese government’s decision to suspend the issuing of inspection certificates for the month up to June 4 will cost US exporters an estimated US$ 400 million as well as a further US$ 100 million associated with market value and shipment diversions to other destinations such as India and South Korea, the latest BIR Ferrous Division meeting was told by its Interim President Tom Bird of Chiho Environmental Group in China.

Faced with China’s import ban on plastics scrap, processing operations have been moving to South East Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. However, these nations are also sharpening their focus on environmental controls, according to Dr Steve Wong of Fukutomi Co. Ltd and the China Scrap Plastics Association.

“I have been in the business for 50 years and have never seen circumstances facing the international recycling industry that compare to the issues and problems we face at the moment,” declared Michael Lion of China-based Everwell Resources Ltd in his role as Chairman of the BIR’s International Trade Council (ITC).