Earlier this month, China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) set the contamination threshold for most waste imports at 0.5 percent, a limit tantamount to an outright ban that jeopardizes the entire $5.2 billion recycling trade between the US and China. At Berg Mill Supply Co., we believe the Chinese government has failed to recognize, or…
Read more
Approaching Lunar New Year Celebration Stalls Scrap Paper Pricing
As the Chinese Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, celebrating the year of the dog approaches, paper and board mills across China are set to temporarily close or curtail paper production. The New Year falls on February 16th this year, while the festival will last until March 2nd, or about two weeks.…
Read more
Recycling Industry Implores China To Delay Import Bans
Though China has filed two statements with the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding intended bans and contamination restrictions, their agenda remains murky, leaving many recycling industry insiders to question the country’s preparedness to implement such sweeping import policies. While, at first blush, China’s waste import restrictions seem to be inspired by noble causes…
Read more
China Eases Contamination Thresholds…Slightly
Though Chinese import restrictions have targeted all materials, scrap paper received a disproportionate blow as Jinping’s government officials planned to reduce the acceptable level of contamination for recycled paper loads to 0.3 percent, intending to fully implement the changes by the end of 2018. For reference, the current standards demand scrap paper imports have…
Read more