Foreign waste sent home by customs officers
Shanghai Customs had returned over 28,000 tons of foreign solid waste by November this year, local customs said.
Some 18,000 tons of solid waste in 338 cases had been returned to owners overseas, more than four times that of the previous year.
Over 10,000 tons of the remaining waste, which had no owners, was returned to where it came from while 694 tons was disposed of safely.
In one case, a Taicang-based plastic company declared imported goods including recycled polyester bottle chips, recycled plastic particles and polyester film weighing more than 2,300 tons.
However, the goods later determined to be solid waste which is banned from import. They were returned to the seller.
According to customs officers, they have enhanced their analysis and checks on imported materials and had opened all goods with false declarations.
Huang Ying, of the customs' anti-smuggling bureau, said port affairs authorities and shipping companies had to be contacted many times to discuss returning waste. If shipping companies can help with the returns, there can be lighter punishments for them.
A customs officer checks plastic particles at Waigaoqiao Port.
A bag in a container is found to be full of plastic particles after it is opened by customs officers.
Two customs officers check imported goods at Waigaoqiao Port.
Woven bags in a container are found to be full of plastic particles after being opened by customs officers.
Two customs officers check the plastic particles in a woven bag at Waigaoqiao Port.
