China Implements New Rules for Recycled Pulp Importers to Combat Disguised Foreign Garbage

China has introduced new regulations requiring importers of recycled paper pulp to specify whether the material is produced using a dry or wet method on customs declaration forms. This aims to prevent the import of disguised foreign garbage—dry-milled pulp that bypasses essential purification steps and contains plastic fragments and heavy metal pollutants, posing significant environmental and health risks. The wet method involves thorough purification, sterilization, and screening, ensuring compliance with hygiene standards. Recent Chinese customs seizures highlight the ongoing challenge of dry-milled pulp entering under false pretenses. Labeling dry-method pulp as high risk is expected to reduce such imports in the short term, though the long-term impact depends on enforcement rigor and supplementary measures. Companies reliant on low-cost dry-milled pulp may face increased costs and pressure to improve production processes, encouraging shifts toward safer, standardized raw materials.