2018 R3 Conference Afternoon Keynote by David Biderman, CEO and Executive Director of SWANA, on the impact of China's National Sword policy and associated restrictions.

1. SWANA.org
China’s Waste Import Restrictions:
Challenges and Opportunities
MassRecycle 2018 R3 Conference
SWANA Recycling & Solid Waste
Conference
David Biderman
CEO/Executive Director
SWANA
March 26, 2018

2. SWANA.org
Background on SWANA
• SWANA is the largest association for the waste &
recycling sector in the U.S. – 10,000+ members
• SWANA’s core programs focus on education,
certification/training, research, and safety!
• SWANA has two chapters with
300+ members in New England

3. SWANA.org
Renewed Focus on Safety
SWANA has placed a great emphasis on improving
the industry’s safety record through:
• Chapter-Based Safety Ambassadors
• Safety Monday (weekly newsletter)
• Fatality Alerts
• Classroom Safety/Compliance Training
• Safety Awards - @WASTECON
• Annual Safety Summit – August 2018
• Slow Down to Get Around
• Partnering with NWRA/ISRI/EREF/NGVA
Southern New England
Safety Ambassador:
Inga A. Lermontov-Hoit
ingal@rirrc.org

4. SWANA.org
Safety – Needs Improvement!
• Waste/recycling collection workers have 5th
highest fatality rate in the United States
• Higher than police/firefighters
• On average, 1 industry worker dies each week!
• Workers have high injury rates in collection,
processing, and disposal

5. SWANA.org
Safety – Needs Improvement!
January 2018 – 15 incidents resulting in 17
deaths – 2 in Massachusetts
• Amtrak train carrying 200 Members of Congress, staff,
& families hit a garbage truck in Virginia

6. SWANA.org
China Waste Import Restrictions
The current policy of:
▪ New waste import bans – 24 categories
▪ Stringent restrictions (0.5% contamination)
▪ Tougher enforcement at ports
▪ Inspections at MRFs
▪ Big reduction in import quotas
is making the Green Fence look like a minor issue

7. SWANA.org
China/SWANA
• SWANA has been at the center of this issue since July 2017
when China issued Notifications containing a vague waste
import ban with the World Trade Organization (WTO)
• Complicated issue with wide variety of stakeholders
• Federal agencies – Commerce, USTR, EPA
• State agencies
• Local governments
• Recyclers/national companies
• Foreign governments (Canada, EU)
• Other associations (ISRI, NWRA, AF&PA)

8. SWANA.org
China Waste Restrictions – 2017
• SWANA met with EPA in early October as price and
other impacts (fewer import licenses) began to
ripple through U.S.
• We sent two letters to EPA and all 50 state environ
agencies – providing an update on status &
focusing on potential disruption to municipal
recycling programs.
• Core messages: communicate w/ stakeholders & “quality”
• EPA/several states are in close/ongoing contact with us

9. SWANA.org

10. SWANA.org
2017 Paper Scrap Exports from the EU
Europe’s paper
scrap exports to
China halved
between January
and November
2017
SOURCE: Eurostat, Resource
Recycling and CEPI

11. SWANA.org
China Waste Restrictions Update
• China finalized the waste import restrictions in
early January:
• Prohibition on imports of mixed paper & post-consumer
plastic maintained (Jan 1, 2018)
• Slight relaxation of contamination standard to 0.5% except
for non-ferrous metals (1%)
• Implementation date – March 1, 2018
• Industry request for a less stringent contamination standard
and a longer transition period were ignored
• China is serious about banning “foreign garbage”
• China’s Premier mentioned environment more than economy at 2017
Communist Party Congress

12. SWANA.org
What Happens Next?

13. SWANA.org
Time to Change
• We need to change our thinking
• China isn’t going back to pre-Green Fence
• Other Asian markets may be a temporary band-aid
• We need to change our messaging
• Recycling isn’t free
• Contamination costs cities/processors lots of $
• Recycling creates U.S. jobs
• Re-focus on waste diversion/Zero Waste - Boston
• We need to consider changing the metrics
• Weight-based v GHG reduction v participation rates

14. SWANA.org
Impact on States
• Many state agencies are monitoring the impact of
China’s new rules on state/municipal recycling
programs and goals, and taking varying
approaches.
• Waste Dive 50 state survey
• States with high recycling rates that export a lot of
material to China were first ones directly affected.
• Oregon, Washington, Alaska
• Massachusetts, Maine

15. SWANA.org
Impact on States - Mass
China’s import restrictions are impacting
Boston-area communities.
MRFs are full as export market adjusts to
decreased demand – and supply is daily
DEP issued 20 disposal waivers in late 2017 -
majority were temporary.
Additional waivers issued in 2018
New: Recycling IQ Kit grant $$$

16. SWANA.org
Local Impacts
The impact on municipal recycling programs varies
widely, but we expect broader impacts if status quo
of lower prices, 0.5% contamination limit, & fewer
import licenses continues:
• Depends on whether you export – and where
• Depends on the quality of the material
• Depends on your contract (when is it over?)
• Depends on your contamination level

17. SWANA.org
What should Local Governments be doing?
2018 may not be best time to expand recycling programs
--- Focus on educating residents/businesses re contamination ---
SWANA/KAB/EPA discussing
updating this communication
from 2014
How much $ are you spending
on recycling education?
What are you doing to reduce
contamination?

18. SWANA.org
What should MRF operators be doing?
It’s All About Quality!
Clean up your bales:
• Communicate with customers
▪ Slow down the line
• Hire more workers
• Some MRFs having trouble finding workers
• Add new technology
• Optical sorters/robotics

19. SWANA.org
What is SWANA Doing?
• New Recycling Task Force established
• Diverse group of industry experts – public/private sector;
big/small; U.S./Canada; mfrs
• Best practices/innovations to reduce contamination
• What are successful communities doing?
• Atlanta – cart tagging/rejection & mailers/social media
• Creating demand (Recycling Demand Champions)
• Some of the brands are supportive & want to buy PCR plastic
• Federal support – Infrastructure bill opportunity?

20. SWANA.org
What is SWANA Doing?
• Education – SWANApalooza Keynote/Chapter
events/webinars
• Collaboration with others:
• Working with EPA, KAB, TRP, ISRI and others to help
address current challenges
• 10 in the Bin Update Coming Soon…….
• MRF Summit at WASTECON in August 2018

21. SWANA.org
SWANApalooza 2018
• SWANApalooza 2018 was in Denver and
included:
• 1,066 attendees
• 100 exhibitors
• Terrific facility tours
• 2 days of excellent keynote
and technical sessions

22. SWANA.org
SWANApalooza 2018

23. SWANA.org
SWANApalooza 2018

24. SWANA.org
SWANApalooza 2019
• SWANA is returning to Boston
on February 25-28, 2019 and
holding SWANApalooza at the
Hynes Convention Center
• Landfill Gas & Biogas Symposium
• Landfill Symposium
• EPA Landfill Methane Outreach
Program Conference
• Road to Zero Waste Conference
• Winter Training Center
• New Zero Waste Certification Course
• MOLO/Transfer Station/others

25. SWANA.org
Be Safe! Recycle!
Thank you!
Questions?
David Biderman
240-494-2254
dbiderman@swana.org