Vietnam has installed a system to prevent scrap imports from afar

	General Department of Customs holds a press conference on a "hot" issue of imported scraps
	Strictly implement the E-manifest declaration for imported scraps
	Inspecting 20 imported scrap containers

Plastic scrap imported into Hai Phong port was detected and arrested by Customs forces. Photo: Ngoc Linh.

Implement of preventive solutions

According to Mr. Thuc, right from June 2018, there were information of imported scrap unsold in ports and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in coordination with other ministries and branches to carry out inspection and examination. Then, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment met with ministries and branches to propose solutions to submit to the Prime Minister for treatment. On September 17, the Prime Minister issued Directive 27/ CT-TTg setting out some solutions to overcome and manage scrap imported from abroad to Vietnam.

The Prime Minister's Directive No. 27 has assigned responsibilities to many local ministries and branches to ultimately handle imported scrap issues. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is assigned by the Prime Minister to consider the management of import activities, the use of scrap as raw materials for production.

Following the task, the MoNRE drafted a decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of the decrees detailing, guiding the implementation of the Law on Environmental Protection, in which the contents of managing imported scrap is regulated strictly, ensuring effective control of scrap imports in Vietnam. This Decree was issued by the Government on November 22, 2018.

On December 26, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment submitted to the Prime Minister a draft of the Prime Minister's Decision promulgating the List of scrap permitted to be imported from abroad as production materials and will be issued in the future.

According to Mr. Thuc, in the draft List of scrap materials allowed to be imported from abroad as production materials, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment proposed that the Prime Minister reduces 13 types of scrap (the previous list includes 36). Waste materials are excluded from the draft list this time have risk of high environmental pollution, or the types of scrap that have not yet imported by enterprises.

In order to strictly control the quality of imported scrap of enterprises, organizations and individuals, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has reviewed and issued national technical standards on environment for 6 imported scrap groups, including: Iron and steel scraps; plastic scrap; paper scraps; non-ferrous metal scrap; blast furnace grain scrap. These are all commonly used in the manufacturing process.

At the same time, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment also inspects the licensing of scrap import nationwide. Accordingly, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has conducted inspection of scrap import permits at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE), departments grant licenses to import scraps in the past time and some independent inspection establishments have only been approved by the MONRE to assess the quality of imported scrap. Currently, this result has been updated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and will be informed as soon as possible.

Mr. Thuc also informed: From August 7, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment stopped reviewing and granting certificates to organizations and individuals that are entrusted to import scrap as raw materials for production as directed by the Prime Minister at the Directive No. 27/CT-TTg. Currently, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment only grants cetificates for enterprises that need to import waste materials as production materials, directly producing valuable goods.

Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Transport all issued documents to direct the operation to prevent imported materials from being imported in the wrong way. The Directive No. 27 has built a remote defense mechanism, controlling scrap from the border before being imported into our country.

Specifically: The Ministry of Finance has instructed agencies including the General Department of Customs to adjust the manifest declaration to require enterprises which import scraps as production materials to declare information with a Certificate of environmental protection eligibility of the environmental authority granted and this certificate is still valid. In addition, the Ministry of Finance does not allow the temporarily imported goods for re-export.

In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Trade also issued a directive to import scrap materials as production materials only received by the sea to control imported scrap.

Mr. Thuc said: With these solutions, Vietnam has had a remote defense measure for imported scrap and has a coordination mechanism among related ministries and branches. “Since the end of September, we have been able to control the ships transporting waste into the country. Specifically: When the ship is imported, the relevant agencies will check that the shipment has a certificate of environmental qualification or not, then making the decision for the cargo to be unloaded into the port”, Mr. Thuc said.

Solutions to handle scrap inventory

According to Mr. Hoang Van Thuc, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has now completed the draft report to the Prime Minister proposing a plan to handle scrap in the port.

For the reduction of storage pressure, goods inventory at the seaport, Mr. Thuc also said: Currently, there are 4 seaports that are the entry border with the largest volume of goods carrying out customs procedures nationwide, including: Hai Phong, Cat Lai, Binh Duong and Cai Mep. In particular, Cat Lai port is in the process of scrap congestion. According to Mr. Thuc, to ensure cargo circulation, Vietnam Maritime Administration has directed Cat Lai Port Authority to move 1,200 unsold containers to Hiep Phuoc port to carry out customs procedures.

In the coming time, in order to continue to reduce the pressure of goods inventory at ports, to speed up the process of goods clearance, the Cat Lai port authority has coordinated with customs authorities to move inventory to Tan Long ICD port to store and carry out customs procedures.

For scrap shipment inventory, the Ministries have agreed to carry out the classification into residual scrap groups based on the time that the scrap shipment arrives at the port. For scrap shipments that last more than 90 days and cannot find the shippers, the Ministries agree to inspect, delineate and re-export them for scrap consignments to ensure that they comply with the Law on environment and customs.

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In addition, shipments over 90 days, Mr. Thuc also informed, are currently looking for goods owners or in the process of implementing customs procedures, customs authorities continue to handle in accordance with regulations on import and export.