Waste Management/Two Waste Import/Export Rules Announced

摘要

As a means to appropriately manage the import and export of waste, the EPA has announced Industrial Waste Categories for Use as Industrial Raw Materials, as well as categories of waste that are prohibited from importation according to regulations in Article 38 of the Waste Disposal Act. To appropriately control the import and export of waste, the Waste Disposal Act explicitly stipulates that permission must be obtained before industrial waste can be imported or exported. However, as a great deal of waste is actually used by industry as raw materials, in order to strike a balance between the economy and environmental protection, the Waste Disposal Act also specifically states that after the competent authority for target industries and the EPA have discussed requirements for industrial raw materials, those approved materials can be imported or exported without a permit.