Page 40 - Plastics News April 2018

internAtionAL news

US asks China not to implement Investors plan $15 million

ban on foreign garbage recycling plant in New Jersey

he United States has asked China not to implement a ban group in New Jersey wants to take a former glass
Ton imports of scrap materials, after the world’s top scrap A plant and turn it into a plastics recycling facility
buyer abruptly shut the door to many types of waste, throwing that could serve as the basis for a commerce park.
the global recycling industry into turmoil. The U.S. Institute Anthony DeSantis and his Millville Plastics LLC has
of Scrap Recycling Industries said at the time that the ban received the backing of local government officials to
would devastate an industry that supported 155,000 jobs and transform the former Wheaton Glass plant in Millville.
had exported scrap Initial work will involve renovation of existing space to
worth $5.6 billion
to China in 2016. create a recycling facility to take in bales of plastics for
The United States separation, grinding and washing to create clean flake.
raised concerns From there, DeSantis said, the recycled plastics will
about the ban, and a be used to make food-grade, sheet and fiber products.
subsequent revision The company expects to concentrate on PET and high
of standards for density polyethylene and possibly handle polypropylene
a variety of scrap as well. "It used to be a former glass plant. Obviously,
metals, at the WTO’s glass has been slowly transferring to plastic. So we
Council for Trade couldn't think of a better location ... to just basically
in Goods. China’s follow that trend," he said. The former glass plant
import restrictions on recycled commodities have caused has plenty of room for redevelopment along with rail
a fundamental disruption in global supply chains for scrap access, so DeSantis sees the opportunity to attract
materials, directing them away from productive reuse and manufacturers to take advantage of proximity to the
toward disposal,” a U.S. representative told the meeting, recycling operations.
according to a trade official in Geneva.
Those could include sheet makers or finished goods
The United States recognized China’s environmental manufacturers. DeSantis has been working on the
concerns but Beijing’s approach seemed to be having project with two other partners — his father Concezio
the opposite effect to what was intended, and its rules DeSantis and Gary Porat — for about three years.
had changed far too quickly for industry to adjust, the He expects work to transform the property to a
U.S. representative told the meeting China seemed to be recycling operation will take a year or two. "We need
breaching its WTO obligations by treating domestic and to customize the building in order to meet the needs
foreign waste differently and employing an overly trade-
restrictive policy, the U.S. official said. “We request that
China immediately halt implementation and revise these
measures in a manner consistent with existing international
standards for trade in scrap materials, which provide a
global framework for transparent and environmentally
sound trade in recycled commodities.” The European
Union’s representative at the meeting said China’s policy
would force scrap to be rerouted to third countries which
may not have facilities for safe recycling, or to landfill or
incineration, causing environmental damage.The EU also of not only ourselves but anybody coming in with us,"
questioned the science behind China’s ban, while several he said. During the time Millville Plastics has been
countries said they appreciated China’s goal but were not working on the project, China has once again cracked
convinced about how it was trying to get there.China’s down on imports of recycled materials, including
representative agreed to take the comments into account plastics. And that, DeSantis believes will boost domestic
but said that every country recycling efforts.

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