The Indonesian government has confirmed the use of a 2pc contamination tolerance for scrap imports, emphasizing the merit of recycling.
The Indonesian leadership confirmed the policy in writing on Wednesday after announcing guidelines on May 27 for importing nonhazardous versus hazardous surplus as well as toxic waste for industrial raw materials.
The order also forms an inter-agency task force to create a strategy to improve the country’s autonomy by boosting domestic supplies while slashing imports. The policy approach will take about six months and will use quotas along with stricter contamination thresholds, according to The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI).
The decision is being welcomed by recyclers, manufacturers, and businesses that purchase commodities made from recyclables.
Applauding the Indonesian government’s decision, ISRI notified its members that the ruling was a victory for the industry since it confirms the vital scrap commodity value to the manufacturing supply chain.
Moreover, ISRI said that the Indonesian government’s decision, which was supported by the institute in collaboration with local industry, also laid bare the method used to classify scrap in countries like China, which consider these products the same as solid waste.