China’s government clears high-grade ferrous scrap imports

The Standardization Administration of China reportedly has approved previously published definitions for grades of ferrous and stainless steel scrap that will reclassify them from a “waste” to a “resource.”

Under the new classification and after follow-up guidelines for customs officials have been distributed, the higher grades of scrap will be able to be imported after a Jan. 1, 2021, ban on scrap materials that have not received the new resource designation is in place.

According to a news alert from Fastmarkets AMM, the Standardization Administration of China approved the standards of definitions of the 13 ferrous scrap grades and two stainless grades Sunday, Nov. 29.

If subsequent guidelines for the ferrous and stainless grades lead to a flow of such shipments into Chinese ports, it will follow a similar pattern to what has happened with high grades of red metal and aluminum scrap that have begun to arrive in China without the need for (CCIC) inspections or an assigned quota.

Buyers and sellers of recovered fiber continue to await the approval or implementation of any such standards that would create acceptable grades of baled paper to be able to clear Chinese ports.