BIR World Mirror on Non-Ferrous Metals - Issue July/August 2017

Ignore hearsay surrounding China’s import intentions

Since mid-April, all non-ferrous markets have been greatly impacted by the extension of China’s National Sword operation, giving rise to many rumours and to much speculation. At the time of writing this Mirror report, there has been no public announcement on the official Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) website of any bans on non-ferrous items, although the World Trade Organization has confirmed that it has received notice from the MEP that China is to ban imports of certain grades of plastic scrap and paper related to human consumption, as well as vanadium slag and ashes/dross.

Currently, the MEP has put on hold the scrap import permit renewal-extension approval procedure for mixed metal until July’s thorough environmental inspection programme is completed across the country. I urge everyone not to repeat hearsay; let us wait for the official announcement.

In the meantime, our BIR executives are working diligently to resolve the misunderstanding surrounding “waste” and “scrap” (...)

by David Chiao
Uni-All Group Ltd (USA)
President of the Non-Ferrous Metals Division

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