China's metal recycling body published on Tuesday a list of nine overseas suppliers that have been certified to ship copper and aluminium scrap meeting new standards into the country, as well as 16 certified importers.

China will prohibit imports of solid waste from the end of 2020 for environmental reasons but, after lobbying from recyclers who feared a cutoff of supply, very high-grade scrap metal meeting the new standards has been reclassified as a resource instead and will not be subject to the ban.

The very-high grade copper and aluminium scrap has been able to enter China unrestricted since Nov. 1. Before that, scrap metal was only allowed in under an import quota system that will expire at the end of this month.

The first batch of certified suppliers includes U.S.-based Uni-All Group, led by David Chiao, head of the non-ferrous metal division at the Bureau of International Recycling, as well as five companies from Japan, two from Malaysia and one from Hong Kong.

The certified importers, all described as processors, are from six Chinese provinces, including recycling hubs Guangdong and Zhejiang, according to a statement from the recycling branch of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CMRA).

Certification is a voluntary process but the CMRA has said certified companies will find their cargoes clear customs faster. They can apply for certification until the end of the year.

 

(Reporting by Tom Daly and Min Zhang; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) ((tom.daly@thomsonreuters.com; +86 10 5669 2119;))