In order to prepare for the upcoming summer Olympics in August, China is adopting various restrictions on the transportation of dangerous goods as well as manufacturing restrictions to control pollution. There are possible plans to completely restrict hazmat imports and exports for some time prior to the Olympic events. While the US Departments of Transportation and State have been responsive in conveying concerns to the government in Beijing, we are not aware of a formal written response from China which identifies the specific restrictions that will be in place for inland transportation, sea or air ports. While the information should be helpful for those impacted directly, many who have operations in China claim that the system is extremely complicated to predict. The system is decentralized and individual authorities may either have different information or interpretations or may impose different restrictions for their areas of operation. From a practical standpoint, if you purchase products from China or ship your products to China, contact your logistics provider or carrier as soon as possible to determine if such restrictions might affect your in-bound or out-bound shipments.
DOT/UN HazMat Industry News