CCIC Canada Authorized to Inspect U.S. Scrap Metal Shipments

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Chinese Customs Authorities have granted permission to CCIC offices in Canada to inspect China-bound shipments of scrap metal from the U.S. The announcement to this effect was made by the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) on its official website. This will lead to resumption of inspection procedure for U.S. recyclers.

The GACC notice states that U.S. scrap pre-shipment inspections on scrap metal loads to China can be temporarily carried out by CCIC Canada. Until June 4, 2018, all Customs entry points will accept inspection certificates issued by CCIC Canada. Meantime, the announced changes are applicable only to pre-inspection procedures, while the quarantine inspection procedures at the port of entry remains unchanged, GACC noted.

Earlier during the month, Chinese Customs had announced shut-down of all CCIC pre-inspection offices in the United States and Mexico for a period of one month. Further, it had warned Canadian recyclers from processing U.S.-origin scrap of serious measures including possible suspension of their AQSIQ license. This had literally stalled shipments of scrap metal from the U.S. to China. The U.S. suppliers were notified by Chinese buyers that all purchasing activities will be suspended until the resumption of the inspection system.

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The Chinese scrap imports have registered significant decline during the first quarter of 2018, further to tightening of quotas by the Chinese administration. The country had imported nearly 5.74 million tonnes of scrap metal during the previous year.

As part of its efforts to reduce contamination in waste exported to that country, China had proposed stricter regulations, including ban on certain materials and sharp reduction in allowed contamination level for several varieties of baled scrap imports.