Hanoi (VNA) – To prevent Vietnam becoming a destination for scrap from othercountries, ministries, sectors and localities need to enhance coordination inmanaging scrap imports and use of scrap as production material, Minister ofNatural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha has said.

The minister made the statement while chairing ameeting in Hanoi on July 12 on a draft report on the environmental managementof importing and using scrap as production material.

According to the environment ministry, totalscrap import volume, including iron, steel, plastics and paper, in 2017 doubledfrom the previous year. Notably, plastic scrap import volume between Januaryand May this year almost doubled the whole figure of 2017.

Imported scrap comes from many countries,including the US and those in the EU as well as in Asia.

Notably, a large volume of imported scrap is stuck at ports in Ho Chi MinhCity, Hai Phong city and other localities. 

Data of the HCM City Customs Department and theSaigon Newport Corporation show that as of June 26, up to 4,480 containers ofscrap had been stuck at the ports under the corporation’s management for atleast 30 day.

About 20 percent of the imported scrap is paper and the rest is plastics andother types of scrap, the ministry noted.

Participants in the meeting, including officialsof the ministries of finance, industry and trade, public security, justice, andtransport, attributed the scrap congestion to the fact that in late 2017, theChinese government decided to stop importing 24 types of scrap used forrecycling. As a result, the countries that used to export solid waste and scrapto China have had to seek new import markets, including Vietnam, leading to arise of scrap containers, especially plastic scrap, at seaports.

Some shipping companies warned that a largevolume of plastic and paper scrap will continue to flow into Vietnameseseaports as scrap under signed contracts is still being transported to thecountry.

Meanwhile, many importers haven’t performedcustoms clearance procedures because they lacked certificates of environmentalprotection eligibility in scrap import but still signed scrap tradingcontracts. Some only have expired or fake certificates.

Vietnam lacks mechanisms to prevent and controlscrap imports from afar. Only when scrap is loaded onto ports can procedures behandled, so the country plays a passive role in dealing with violators, themeeting heard.

Environment Minister Ha said imported scrapstuck at seaports need to be promptly handled. In the long term, relevantministries and sectors need to overhaul legal documents in line with laws onenvironmental protection and trade and the maritime code.

They should also devise mechanisms for managingand controlling scrap trading activities before scrap enters Vietnam, headded.-VNA