What has the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment done to deal with the imported scrap?

The imported plastic waste to Hai Phong port detected and arrested by Customs force. Picture: Ngoc Linh.

Finalizing the law documents

Following the direction of the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister (in Announcement No.281/TB-VPCP and No. 322/TB-VPCP), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has focused on completing the legal documents. Up to now, the Ministry has submitted to the Prime Minister to issue the Directive No. 27 / CT-TTg dated 17/9/2018 on some urgent measures to strengthen the management of the import and use of scrap imported as raw materials for production;

Submitting to the Government for promulgation an amending decree and supplement to a number of articles of decrees detailing and guiding the implementation of the Law on Environmental Protection, which stipulates more clearly the conditions for the import of scrap materials (including trade remedies, preventing of illegal transportation of waste to Vietnam) and in accordance with Decree 74/2018/ND-CP of the Government.

At the same time, the editorial and elaborating team of the draft decision of the Prime Minister shall be set up to adjust the list of permitted discarded materials for importing from abroad.

Strengthening inspection and examination

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has set up inspectors to inspect the observance of the environmental protection law in the import and use of imported discarded materials as production raw materials for the concerned agencies and organizations.

Initial inspection results in 10 organizations showed that 80% of the organizations are no longer importing scraps at ports; 20% of organizations have waste paper left at Tan Vu port (Hai Phong). The inspection team is still working and will have a detailed report in October 2018.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has also set up 7 working missions with: General Department of Customs; Customs Departments, port authorities and port operators in Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Binh Dinh, Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City; inspecting the lots of import discarded materials at ports.

By September 6, 2018, there were 25,400 tons of blast furnace slag stored in the enterprise's warehouse (Ba Ria-Vung Tau province) and 15,442 imported scrap containers were stored at ports, including 3 types of retention time: less than 30 days (the time for importers to do clearance procedures); from 31 to 90 days (the time for importers to do clearance procedures but receiving punishment because of delaying receipt of goods); The goods are stored from 91 to 150 days to be considered ownerless, State agencies publish newspapers three times to find the owner to receive goods.

In particular, the number of stored containers under 90 days are 10,535, accounting for 68% and the number of unsold over 90 days are 4,907 containers, accounting for 32%. Currently, there are 154 organizations and individuals (58%) who are importers of scrap metal without certificates of import or export.

Out of the trash containers left at the existing ports, the unregulated scrap group accounted for only 1.3% (202 containers) out of a total of 15,442 residual scrap containers.

Promoting ministries, sectors and localities

Following the direction of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment sent the Official Letter No. 4279/BTNMT-PC to the ministries, branches and People's Committees of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government to require them to report on the actual results. Based on that, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall make a report to the Prime Minister as prescribed.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s report, the ministry has actively reviewed and consulted relevant ministries, branches and localities to finalize the circular on temporary suspension of temporary import, in-transit, the transshipment of goods as the import of scraps into the Vietnamese territory; Directing the Market Management Office to inspect and supervise the trading and use of imported scraps; Prescribing the import of used goods under its management scope and relevant contents.

The Ministry of Transport has directed and guided the port authorities, shipping companies and port operators in handling and transporting waste lots imported at seaports; Chairing and coordinating with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Finance and concerned agencies to clarify the causes and take measures to immediately handle the transportation of unloaded scrap lots without certificate or unknown address of the recipient (ownerless), that had been unloaded at ports of Vietnam;

The Ministry of Finance has instructed the customs offices to concentrate their forces on doing customs clearance for imported discarded materials lots of organizations and individuals that have received written certifications as prescribed by law; The Prime Minister shall issue a Decision amending and supplementing Decision 15/2017/QD-TTg and shall perform other tasks assigned by the Prime Minister.

Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Public Security and relevant ministries and agencies according to their assigned functions and tasks.

There are some strict measures that have been taken by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and proposals to the Prime Minister for consideration in the coming time in order to deal completely with the lots of imported backlog in ports, as well as with individuals and organizations violating regulations for the import of waste materials.