For two years, media outlets around the globe have covered China's National Sword recyclables import restrictions. Now, China is threatening to wield its trade sword for a different purpose: cutting off rare earth exports to the U.S.
In the context of its trade war with the U.S., China has hinted it may cut off the U.S.
France has begun requiring manufacturers to label their electronic products with a repairability score. | S.Dashkevych/Shutterstock[/caption]
France has started requiring electronics OEMs to calculate and disclose repairability scores to consumers, and off
Industry group ISRI said that updated import guidelines are an acknowledgement from China that scrap materials are products, not waste. | Maha Heang 245789/Shutterstock[/caption]
Chinese authorities have published updated standards for imports 
This article originally appeared in the Winter 2019-2020 issue of E-Scrap News. 
In April, the Chinese government will enact new requirements for pellet imports. | Piyathep/Shutterstock[/caption]
Officials in Beijing are set to enact new requirements around the purity of recycled plastic pellets imported into China, which could disrupt international markets f
In addition to the growth in e-scrap processing, the New York Times report focused on the poor conditions of some Thai recycling operations. | Wead/Shutterstock[/caption]
The scrap electronics processing industry is active and growing in Thailand, according to a New York Times featur
U.S. e-scrap processors and brokers say they're currently able to move e-plastics. | Alexey Lesik/Shutterstock[/caption]
Asia remains the destination for many plastics recovered from electronics.
India was the second largest importer of U.S. scrap plastic during the first six months of 2019. | Avigator Fortuner/Shutterstock[/caption]
Recovered plastic, including material from end-of-life electronics, has largely stopped flowing from the U.S.
Managing e-scrap is a growing challenge and opportunity in Asia. | weedezign/Shutterstock[/caption]
A business acquisition will bring British technology for extracting valuable e-scrap metals to the Asian market.
Singapore-headquartered Blue Planet Environmental Solutions, an