Chinese customs rejects 59.2 tonnes of solid waste

DALIAN -- Customs in the city of Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, refused the entry of 59.2 tonnes of solid waste into the country Wednesday.

According to Dayaowan Customs in Dalian, the waste was declared at customs as flax tow, but was later identified as solid waste prohibited from entering the country.

In recent years, customs authorities in Dalian have intensified their crackdown on the smuggling of solid waste into China.

China began importing solid waste as a source of raw materials in the 1980s. Given the rising public concern over environmental pollution and China's green development drive, the country decided to halt and phase out such imports by the end of 2019, with the exception of those containing resources that cannot be substituted.