Since China announced its import ban on certain materials, recycling all that leftover holiday wrapping paper and packaging will be much more difficult this season. And more changes are on the way from China heading into 2019.

Due to China’s stringent regulations, some jurisdictions in the U.S. have stopped accepting curbside recycling altogether, though many materials recovery facilities are stepping up their sorting to cut down on contaminants. The Solid Waste Association of North America told CGTN America that in the next three years, more than a dozen recycling facilities will also open in the U.S. But next year brings additional restrictions. 

On New Year’s Eve, China will tighten its current ban on solid waste imports and will stop buying industrial metal, plastic and glass scrap, according to the report.

CGTN America has more details:

If your office looks like most, during the holidays, it’s a banquet of boxes – just waiting to be opened on Christmas morning.  But all that cardboard, paper and plastic is no gift to the person who hauls it away —  if it’s mixed with leftover food or drink.

As of 2018, China – the world’s largest buyer of scrap- only takes material for recycle with just one half a percent contamination.  They’re taking less, raising costs for those in the trash business.

Related:MRFs Brace for First Wave of Holiday Waste

“And {China is} they’ve signaled that they will only continue to increase that scrutiny as time goes on, so they are much less interested in importing our recycling, and our associated trash with our recycling, from more of an environmental impact,” Frank Chimera, Republic Services senior manager said.

Read the full article here.