According to Ge Zhirong, deputy director of the State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, six measures will be adopted to improve supervision and control over the import of substandard waste materials and eliminate potential environmental risks.

Ge made this announcement at the inauguration of the renewable materials branch of the China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association.

The six measures include:

1. Amend the current regulations on the management of imported wastes as soon as possible; formulate measures for the inspection and quarantine of imported wastes; and implement departmental regulations governing the registration of suppliers, pre-shipment inspection overseas, inspection and quarantine at port of entry, and follow-up inspections.

2. Fully enforce the newly amended national standard on environmental control, namely GB16487.1-13 2005, for the import of solid wastes to be used as materials.

3. Strengthen internal management and enhance supervision and inspection.

4. Further strengthen cooperation with other countries in cracking down on the cross-border transfer of rubbish and dangerous wastes.

5. Register all receivers of imported wastes in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

6. Further foster and bring into play the role of intermediaries in the imported waste inspection and quarantine business.

According to official figures, the Chinese inspection and quarantine authorities recorded the import of 326,600 shipments of waste materials worth US$11.5 billion in 2005. Among them are 5,039 shipments of substandard wastes with a combined weight of 1.21 million tonnes and a total value of US$209 million.