China: Smaller paper mills can apply for recovered paper import permits, slightly improving 2018 import projections

BIR has received information that on 14th December 2017, The Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China (MEP) changed the rules of the minimum size of Chinese Paper Mills that may apply for import permits of recovered paper from 300,000 tpy to 50,000 tpy capacity. So increasing the number of mills that may import.

Chinese Paper Mills have already been asked to submit their applications for recovered paper import permits, which will be issued on an annual basis.

It is estimated that more than 80 companies in China will benefit from these changes. As a result the projections are now that China imports of recovered paper in 2018 might be in the order of 22 million tonnes vs. the previous estimation of 18 million tonnes, a figure still down compared to the 2017 estimated 28 million tonnes.   

Last, it is expected that the threshold of 0.5% 'Carried Waste' will still be enforced in the pre-shipment inspection by China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC).