The National Catalogue of Hazardous Wastes will be revised once again, and these pesticide wastes are included therein.

Release Date:

2019-09-13

On September 5, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment released the “National Catalogue of Hazardous Wastes (Revised Draft)” (for public comment), focusing on wastes that have been identified as particularly problematic in environmental management following the 2016 revision of the catalogue. By refining the classification system, the revised catalogue ensures greater precision in identifying hazardous wastes. To facilitate its use, the revision maintains the catalogue’s structural consistency.

　　The National Catalogue of Hazardous Wastes serves as the technical foundation and key reference for hazardous waste management, playing a vital role in the environmental regulation of hazardous wastes. China first promulgated and implemented the National Catalogue of Hazardous Wastes in 1998; in 2008, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, in collaboration with the National Development and Reform Commission, revised and reissued the catalogue; and in 2016, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, together with the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Public Security, once again revised and released the National Catalogue of Hazardous Wastes (the 2016 edition).

　　The main issues encountered during the implementation of the 2016 edition of the Catalogue fall into the following categories:

(1) The definitions of certain hazardous waste categories are inaccurate, and their scope is excessively broad. The 2016 edition of the Catalogue adopts relatively broad definitions for certain sources of hazardous waste and hazardous substances, resulting in the inclusion of some solid wastes that do not possess hazardous characteristics. This has led to significant disputes over the classification of solid wastes in certain industries—such as the surface‑treatment sector—and underscores the urgent need for revision.

　　(II) It cannot fully meet the current requirements for the administration of hazardous waste operating permits. Across the country, the Catalogue has been adopted as a regulatory list or a classification list for hazardous waste management. Some hazardous wastes are inadequately classified, which has hindered the review and issuance of hazardous waste management permits across various regions.

　　(3) Certain hazardous wastes with low environmental risks shall be subject to exemption management. The 2016 edition of the Catalogue introduced an exemption regime for hazardous waste, incorporating certain types of hazardous waste into the exemption list provided that environmental risks remain under control. During the implementation of this exemption system, public response has been positive, leading to growing demand for further expansion of the scope of exempted management.

　　The revisions this time include: The main text has been revised from 9 articles to 7. The annex, “National Catalogue of Hazardous Wastes,” has been revised to add seven new types of hazardous waste, delete seven, and merge and reduce eight. The appendix “List of Exempted Hazardous Wastes” has been revised, with 13 new types of hazardous waste added.