China Destroys BSE-hit Waste Imported from Belgium

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, January 22, 2002

China Destroys BSE-hit Waste Imported from Belgium

Quarantine workers in South China intercepted and destroyed 23 tonnes of waste from Belgium that contained beef infected with mad cow disease, provincial officials said on Monday.

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Quarantine workers in South China intercepted and destroyed 23 tonnes of waste from Belgium that contained beef infected with mad cow disease, provincial officials said on Monday.

The waste was imported to produce recycled paper but was infected by BSE, known as mad-cow disease.

The waste also contained vegetable seeds, pork, flour, pieces of wood, rotten dog food, old shoes, glass and other household rubbish.

The waste was destroyed last Friday in Zhongshan in Guangdong Province.

Chen Xiaofan, director of the animals and plants inspection department with the provincial inspection and quarantine bureau, said on Monday: "The other 685 tons of waste paper in the same batch will be returned to the seller in Belgium."

According to the Law on the Quarantine Inspection of Animals and Plants Entering and Leaving the Country, vegetable seeds and meat must get quarantine permission from both the country of origin and China's State General Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine.

The Zhongshan municipal inspection and quarantine bureau sealed the batch of 30 containers of waste paper early this month. Quarantine officers sprayed chemicals in the area near the containers to prevent infection.

Bureau official Huang Xinheng said: "If the infected beef and suspected plant seeds leave our port, they could cause a lot of damage to people's health and the agropastoral economy."

Chen said: "We have found everyday rubbish, harmful insects such as termites and other high-risk plants and animals carrying dangerous insect pests many times among imported waste paper."

In November last year, a batch of waste paper imported from the United State was seized at Zhongshan because it was suspected of containing pig's ears, according to the official.

Quarantine officials have called on other departments concerned - including those for environmental protection and industry and commerce - to co-operate with them to prevent the import of waste paper that could pose a risk.

Huang advised environmental protection departments to conduct more effective supervision in the processing and recycling of waste paper to avoid possible harm.

"The environmental protection department should strictly supervise this matter," Huang advised.

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