Beijing, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The General Office of the State Council issued a plan to ban the entry of foreign garbage and promote the reform of the solid waste Import management system, calling for a complete ban on the entry of foreign garbage, improving the management system of imported solid waste, strengthening the management of solid waste recycling and utilization, and vigorously developing a circular economy. To effectively improve environmental quality and safeguard national ecological environment security and people's health, it said.

Since the 1980s, in order to alleviate the shortage of raw materials, China has begun to import solid waste that can be used as raw materials from abroad, and has gradually established a relatively complete management system for the import of solid waste. In recent years, various regions and relevant departments have done a lot of work to crack down on the smuggling of foreign garbage and strengthen the supervision over the import of solid waste, and certain results have been achieved. However, due to the idea that development is still more important than environmental protection in some places, some enterprises are willing to take risks to seek illegal profits, and the illegal entry of foreign waste is a constant problem, seriously endangering the health of the people and the ecological and environmental security of China.

The implementation plan is clear, we must adhere to the combination of obstruction, address both symptoms and root causes, adhere to prudent promotion and classification of policies, adhere to coordination and cooperation, pay close attention to implementation, and strictly manage the import of solid waste. We will continue to strengthen supervision over the import, transportation and utilization of solid waste to ensure ecological and environmental safety. We will maintain a high pressure situation to crack down on the smuggling of foreign garbage and completely block the entry of foreign garbage. We will strengthen the economical and intensive use of resources, raise the level of harmless and resource utilization of China's solid waste in an all-round way, and gradually fill the resource gap in China to provide a strong guarantee for building a beautiful China and completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

The implementation plan proposes to improve the supervision system for blocking the import of foreign waste. By the end of 2017, the import of waste plastics from China's sources, unsorted paper, waste textile materials, vanadium slag and other solid waste with great environmental hazards and strong public reaction will be banned. By the end of 2019, the import of solid waste that can be replaced by Chinese resources will be phased out. The management catalogue of imported solid waste will be adjusted in batches, and the types and quantities of imported solid waste will be gradually reduced in an orderly manner. We will raise the threshold for importing solid waste, further tighten environmental protection and control standards, and raise the requirements for the size of enterprises that process and utilize imported waste paper. We will improve laws, regulations and relevant systems, limit ports for importing solid waste, and cancel the import agency of trading units. We will strengthen policy guidance to ensure a smooth transition of policies.

The implementation plan requires that the illegal entry control of foreign garbage be strengthened. Continue to crack down on the smuggling of foreign garbage, carry out a special campaign to strengthen supervision and crack down on illegal foreign garbage, focusing on all kinds of illegal activities such as smuggling, illegal import and use of waste plastics, paper, household garbage, electronic waste, used clothing and other solid waste. We will intensify supervision over the whole process, strengthen on-site inspections of key risk supervision enterprises, and severely investigate and punish scalping, illegal processing and use of imported solid waste, and other environmental violations. We carried out a special campaign to improve the storage, disposal, utilization and distribution centers of waste such as China's typical waste plastics, waste clothing, and electronic waste, and included the improvement in the key contents of the central environmental protection supervision.

The implementation plan is clear, and a long-term mechanism will be established to block the entry of foreign garbage. We will implement the principal responsibility of enterprises, strengthen routine law enforcement and supervision, and intensify investigation and punishment of illegal and criminal activities. We will strengthen publicity and training on the rule of law and raise the awareness of enterprises to abide by the law. Establish a sound information sharing mechanism, publicize the credit information of enterprises that violate the law in the utilization and disposal of solid waste, and carry out joint punishment. China will strengthen cooperation with the World Customs Organization, the International Criminal Police Organization, the United Nations Environment Program and other agencies, and improve the international cooperation mechanism on the return of smuggled foreign waste. We will promote the transformation of trade and processing patterns and explore new channels for renewable resources.

The implementation plan emphasizes improving the level of solid waste recycling in China. Accelerate the construction of China's solid waste recycling and utilization system, establish and improve the extended producer responsibility system, and improve the recycling and utilization rate of China's solid waste. We will improve infrastructure for recycling and utilization of renewable resources, and standardize the development of China's solid waste processing and utilization industry. We will intensify research and development in science and technology, and raise the level of equipment for recycling solid waste. We will actively guide the public to participate in garbage sorting, advocate green consumption, resist excessive packaging, and advocate the economical use of paper and plastics, and strive to create a good atmosphere for the whole society to jointly support and actively practice environmental protection and resource conservation.

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