Starting from next year, China will allow the import of recycling iron and steel materials that meet the national standard since they do not constitute solid waste, authorities said on Thursday.

Strict requirements on import management of recycling iron and steel materials were stipulated, according to a notice jointly issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), the National Development and Reform Commission, the General Administration of Customs, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

China officially released the national standard on recycling iron and steel materials on Dec. 17 and will implement it on Jan. 1 next year.

The standard specifies the definition, classification, technical requirements, inspection methods, and acceptance rules for recycling iron and steel materials.

It will provide standard technical support for the use of high-quality recycled steel resources from both home and abroad.

Chinese authorities said earlier that the country would ban all solid waste imports from Jan. 1, 2021.