On Nov. 29, 2018, the inter-departmental coordination group for banning foreign wastes and promoting the institutional reform on solid waste import held its 1st plenary session in Beijing.

The Leader of the Coordination Group and Minister Li Ganjie presided over the meeting and delivered remarks.

The CPC Central Committee and the State Council have attached great importance to the control of the pollution by solid wastes. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made important statements and instructions on multiple occasions since 2017, personally promoting the foreign waste ban and waste import reform, stressed Li.

The MEE, together with other members of the inter-departmental Coordination Group, have earnestly implemented the decisions and deployments of the central authorities and collaborated on improving the solid waste import management system, exercising stricter control of inbound foreign wastes, establishing a long-term mechanism for the waste ban, and substantially improving the solid waste recycling rate.

By Nov. 15, China has imported 18.61 mil. t solid wastes, down 52.8 percent from the same period last year, laying a solid foundation for accomplishing this year’s reform tasks.

The above-said institutional reform has walked into the deepwater areas and confronted ever more complicating situations, which present greater challenges to achieving the reform objectives. Therefore, it is imperative to be well aware of this, brace for the challenges, and work out meticulous measures to accomplish every reform task.

We will press ahead with the institutional reform with persistence and accomplish the regulatory targets and reform tasks, stressed Li. To this end, first, we will amend the law on the control of solid waste pollution as soon as possible. Second, we will tighten the control of illegal entry of foreign wastes, crack down on trafficking, continue with the strict whole-process regulation for the import of solid wastes, check the environmental compliance of imported waste processors, and put the local areas with prominent problems under the central supervision for ecological and environmental protection. Third, we will raise the solid waste recovery rate in China, and establish a waste recycling system soon. We will promote the waste sorting, improve the recycling and recovery infrastructure, and update the environmental standards. Fourth, we will, through the mechanism of the Coordination Group, seek to address the major problems and matters in the reform process, regulate the work progress, and report to the central authorities on the reforms.

Vice Minister Zhuang Guotai reported to the meeting on the work progress of the reforms this year. Vice Administrator of the General Customs Zhang Jiwen shared the work progress in his organization. The meeting considered and adopted in principle the 2019 reform plan and other documents.

Delegates of 15 members of the Coordination Group presented at the meeting, including MEE, GAC, Publicity Department of CPPCC, NDRC, MOST, MIIT, MPS, MOJ, MOF, MHURD, MOC, SAMR, MOCAPF, and SPB.