China Guomen Times: Exploration of Differentiated Regulatory Models for Recycled Metals

As the largest import port for recycled copper and copper alloy raw materials in China, Ningbo Port accounts for over 60% of the country's total imports. In the traditional mode, customs inspect imported recycled metal raw materials at the first port of entry. After the containers undergo radioactive and machine inspections at the port, they need to be returned to the port yard for temporary storage. They can only be transferred from the yard to the inspection site for manual inspection. Enterprises can only pick up the containers to the factory after inspection and release. To complete this process, the average time for goods to be at port is 3 to 5 days.
How to further improve the convenience level of high-quality raw material customs clearance while building a strong national security barrier is a long-term and in-depth topic for Ningbo Customs to consider.  
In order to achieve both "flexibility" and "good management", under the guidance of the Commodity Inspection Department of the General Administration of Customs, Ningbo Customs, based on its mission of guarding the country and promoting development, actively adapts to changes, concentrates its efforts on tackling challenges, explores and constructs a 4-level risk level assessment system, focuses on 16 types of non conformance reasons and non conformance rates, carries out risk tracing and profiling for all categories, forms a risk assessment report with detailed data, and applies to the General Administration of Customs for differentiated inspection and supervision pilot projects for low-risk imported recycled metal raw materials.  
To ensure the safety and feasibility of the pilot work, Ningbo Customs innovatively carries out pre shipment supervision of recycled metal raw materials, conducts pre audit of environmental quality and safety information, overseas shipping information, transportation information, etc. of goods, and controls risks from the source. At the same time, specific measures have been formulated to cover seven types of regulatory matters, including enterprise management, pre shipment management, transportation process supervision, destination inspection, subsequent disposal, return management, and emergency response. In collaboration with the Ningbo branch of the China Electronic Port Data Center, a differentiated supervision system for recycled metals has been developed. By integrating data from customs clearance management systems, checkpoint management systems, and pilot enterprise management systems, the full process information supervision of pre shipment, transportation process, on-site goods, and return management has been achieved.  
In addition, Ningbo Customs has deepened cooperation with local governments, signed memorandums of cooperation, established communication channels, achieved information sharing, and formed a regulatory synergy. At the same time, a coordination mechanism between enterprises will be established to guide pilot enterprises in formulating 15 supporting institutional measures, promote the implementation and effectiveness of the new model, and effectively reduce enterprise costs.  
On September 11, 2025, the first batch of low-risk imported recycled metal raw materials with differentiated inspection and supervision pilot goods were successfully cleared through customs. As of December 31, 2025, Ningbo Customs has implemented differentiated inspection and supervision of 165 imported recycled metals, with a total weight of 7057.92 tons and a value of 517 million yuan.  
Nowadays, this reform practice originating from Ningbo Port has explored a new path for the supervision of recycled metal raw materials nationwide that balances safety and efficiency. The acceleration of customs clearance under smart supervision is transforming into a new driving force to promote the high-quality development of the industry.