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Foreign businesses that export waste materials to China must compulsorily register with AQSIQ China. Unregistered companies sending recyclable waste materials will be denied entry, and will be not allowed any requests for inspection and quarantine.
The following are some of the recyclable waste materials which require an AQSIQ license: Scrap Paper, Scrap Plastic, Textile Waste, Scrap metal, Scrap Hardware, Scrap Electrical Appliances, Scrap Cable, Molasses, Smelting Slugs, and Bone Waste.
To apply for an AQSIQ license, foreign organizations must demonstrate adequate business and operational controls. These include sufficient quality control and environmental controls to make sure their products are free from contamination and provide little or low risk to China's environment and the health of general public.
To show their qualification, the foreign business and their appointed agent/consultant are required to submit up to seventeen different documents, such as business registration, quality control/environmental control procedures, quality certificates, statements made to Chinese government, etc.
The process of applying for the AQSIQ certification can be a lengthy and complex process. Time-wise from initial AQSIQ application to the date certification is given, it can range from six month to one year. At it's prerogative, the government could even stop or suspend issuing new permits indefinitely if there are any concerns about economic and environmental issues or new government policies.
The general process is as follows:
The applicant (foreign exporter) initially must complete the application package, preferablywith the help of a third party consultant. The application must be sent to AQSIQ China and wait for document examination. If the package is complete then AQSIQ China will issue a notice of acceptance. alternately, the applicant may need to submit additional documentation.
After that, AQSIQ China will evaluate the submitted documents. This step is a bit tricky as there could be a few different outcomes.
1: It is in compliance with the regulations, move to the next step.
2: Not be in compliance, the application rejected.
3: Requirement not met, need rectification.
The next step will be on site assessment; AQSIQ China will send their agents to the applicant's plant, warehouse or production site to audit/assess whether they are in compliance with AQSIQ China's environmental and quality control policies.
Finally, if the applicant meets all these steps, the AQSIQ certification will be granted. While this may sound easy and straight forward, it could vary greatly depending on many factors, including language, culture, politics and bureaucracy. Therefore, an experienced consultant is highly recommended to assist you from the beginning to ensure success in getting AQSIQ certification.
