On May 15, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment publicized the 12th batch of solid waste import approvals in 2018. This time, a total of 4 waste plastic processing and utilization enterprises were approved, and the approved total import volume was 3,066 tons. As of now, 12 batches have been issued in China this year. For the secondary solid waste import approvals, the total amount of approved imports of waste plastics was 55,462 tons, a sharp decrease of approximately 99.21% compared with the same period of last year.
Although waste plastics import approvals are still being issued, the average nuclear quantity per batch of several thousand tons can hardly meet the production needs of domestic processing and utilization enterprises. In addition, domestic environmental protection has been strictly investigated and rectified, and the development of waste plastics enterprises is facing more problems. On the 9th, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment initiated the “Decision Action 2018′′, which stipulated that from May 9th to the end of June, comprehensively check the solid waste dumping situation in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Up to now, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has announced three batches of altogether 81 listed supervisors. The problem, no accident, there are plastic waste in each batch. In addition, a new round of environmental supervision has been opened, the local action continues, the waste plastics industry is undoubtedly the focus of supervision.
The severe reality has caused many waste plastics companies to turn their sights abroad, especially in Southeast Asia, which is close to China. At this stage, Southeast Asian countries are lagging behind in economic development, with relatively low labor costs, relatively weak public awareness of environmental protection, and solid waste such as waste plastics. The import supervision is relatively easy. After China adopted the tightening and waste import policy, Southeast Asia has become the main exporter of waste plastics in countries such as the United States, Europe and Japan. According to the latest trade statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the United States exported a total of three months ago this year. Of the $1.3237 billion worth of waste plastics, among the top five markets for exports of waste plastics, the Southeast Asian countries Malaysia and Thailand were ranked one and two. Among them, Malaysia imported US$21.7 million worth of waste plastic from the United States, accounting for US exports of waste plastics. With 16% of market share, Thailand imported 18.54 million U.S. dollars of waste plastic from the United States.
With such large waste plastic throughput in Southeast Asia, it naturally makes domestic waste plastics companies rush into the market. However, there are many problems in the near future when companies invest in factories in Southeast Asia. Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries are currently Due to the constraints of economic development and the environmental protection awareness of the nation, a large influx of foreign waste plastics is allowed. However, it is foreseeable that in the future these countries will develop to a certain stage and will surely introduce policies to control the import of waste plastics.
It is recommended that waste plastics companies make rational investments, conduct careful investigations, fully demonstrate and correctly assess risks and returns, and suggest that companies reduce their speculative mentality and abandon the idea of 'one shot for another place', and do not output outdated technology and obsolete equipment, and do not violate local policies. Regulations, to jointly create a good international business environment for waste plastics companies.