China Announces New Import Rules for Recycled Lithium-Ion Battery and Steel Materials

On June 9, 2025, China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment, General Administration of Customs, and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology jointly issued a notice, to standardize the import management of recycled materials used in lithium-ion batteries and steel production. The regulation, titled "Notice on Standardizing the Import Management of Recycled Black Mass Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries and Recycled Steel Materials," will take effect on August 1, 2025.

The new rules aim to promote resource recycling and clarify the conditions under which certain recycled materials are not classified as solid waste, allowing them to be freely imported.