China ’s 2017 ban on importing scrap plastic caused shipments from Western nations to fall to 1.7 million metric tons during the second half of 2017 , the lowest level since 2005 , according to a 2017 study . China used to be a choice destination for waste plastics since exporters did not need to clean or sort out the plastics -- they were accepted as is. Import caps and higher tariffs imposed by ASEAN countries have also caused exports to that region , to which scrap was initially diverted , to decline . Japan and Western nations are now seeing backlogs , due to inadequate internal recycling capacity . The industrial waste sector is also facing sharp increases in demand for plastic disposal .
China ’s 2017 ban on importing scrap plastic caused shipments from Western nations to fall to 1.7 million metric tons during the second half of 2017 , the lowest level since 2005 , according to a 2017 study . Import caps and higher tariffs imposed by ASEAN countries have also caused exports to that region , to which scrap was initially diverted , to decline . Japan and Western nations are now seeing backlogs , due to inadequate internal recycling capacity . The industrial waste sector is also facing sharp increases in demand for plastic disposal .