Japan ready to seize golden opportunity to cash in on recycled electronics as China imposes ban on imports

'Close to half of China's copper supply is recycling-based.' Stock image

Adam Minter

For 30 years China has recycled more cardboard boxes, plastic bottles and old computers than any other nation. By doing so, it's saved millions of tons of resources and indirectly funded thousands of recycling programs and companies globally.

But now it wants to stop. In July, China notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) that it will soon prohibit the import of many types of recyclables. As a result, recycling programmes and companies around the world are scrambling to find new destinations for the junk they once sent to China. In an increasing number of cases, that destination is a landfill.