Bales of recyclables stand in the yard at A&P Recycling in The Dalles. China is banning certain types of materials that it previously accepted for recycling, and the changes overseas may lead to limits on the ability of local recyclers to accept certain items.
Bales of recyclables stand in the yard at A&P Recycling in The Dalles. China is banning certain types of materials that it previously accepted for recycling, and the changes overseas may lead to limits on the ability of local recyclers to accept certain items.
Decisions in faraway China may soon have a direct, and possibly damaging, impact on local recycling programs.
According to Jim Winterbottom, district manager of The Dalles Disposal/Hood River Garbage, China is poised to ban the import of many materials that are currently recycled in that country.
In July, the Chinese government notified the World Trade Organization that it plans to ban 24 varieties of solid waste and recyclables. The ban includes certain types of plastic, paper, and metal that are shipped from the United States.
“Drastic changes that have been announced in the international recycling markets within the last three months are causing a potential crisis in terms of our recycling industry on the West Coast in particular,” Winterbottom explained.
“These proposed market changes could potentially affect the ability to continue to recycle items our community is now accustomed to recycling.”
Among the items China will no longer be accepting after the end of this year are waste textile materials; ash; waste from the manufacture of iron or steel; used or new rags, scrap twine, rope and cables; and cotton waste.
China is taking the action as part of what it calls “Operation Green Fence,” which is the name it has given to highlight its goal of reducing the importation of contaminants or waste in the recyclable materials from other nations. The ban is scheduled to go into effect Jan. 1, 2018.
Linda Miller, a member of The Dalles City Council, said she is deeply concerned about the ramifications of these proposed changes.
“We’ve been sending bales of recyclables to China, but now they are getting very particular about what they will accept,” said Miller, who works for the Wasco County Landfill in The Dalles and serves on the Tri-County Hazardous Waste & Recycling Program Steering Committee. “Recycling is really going to be an issue.”
According to Miller, the Chinese are calling for shipments of recycled materials to have no more than 3 percent or 4 percent of waste included.
“It’s really difficult to get those bales that clean,” Miller pointed out.
If no solution can be found, Winterbottom said the outlook is dire.
“At this point, there is no excess capacity in the recycling markets in our region that can absorb the materials China is stating it will no longer accept,” he explained. “This could create a potential crisis in which no markets would exist that can take the recyclable material.
“In the short term, this may force us to dispose of some recycling while we continue to seek a long-term market solution.”
Winterbottom added that local customers can assist with the process by being extra careful with how they deal with their recycling.
“Follow the list of acceptable recyclables for collection in order to help reduce contamination as much as possible from the start,” he said.
Mayor Steve Lawrence said the city is aware of the issue and is beginning to study what China’s new policies might mean for recycling in The Dalles, including whether materials that are now being recycled might need to be kept out of recycling streams.
“All good questions, but we don't know anything like that yet,” Lawrence said.
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