Two batches of imported solid waste, weighing nearly 52 tons in total, have been seized by the Yangshan Customs in the Pudong New Area, it was revealed yesterday.

Fifty tons of waste, manufactured during the production of alloy, was found in October. It was declared as a chemical for making pesticide, ceramics and glass. Shanghai Customs’ anti-smuggling bureau is investigating, it said.

Nearly 2 tons of yellowish-brown lumps in dirty bags, declared as a food additive chemical, were identified as solid waste by the official detection department last month. The customs said it had been returned to the country where the waste was from.

There has been a blanket ban on imported solid waste in China since January 1.

The amount of imported solid waste has fallen from 42.3 million tons in 2017 to 13.5 million tons in 2019. As of November last year, only 7.2 million tons of waste had been transferred from other countries and regions, the ecology and environment ministry said.