Comments on: Contaminated Exports … From Where? http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117 Observations on Asia and the world by Adam Minter, an American writer in Shanghai. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:58:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Maritime Monday 101 | gCaptain.com http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117&cpage=1#comment-29701 Maritime Monday 101 | gCaptain.com Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:48:22 +0000 http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117#comment-29701 [...] 62’s photos of the week were of inspections of containers of refuse in China. Shanghai Scrap explains why the inspections are important, noting that some containers of scrap steel coming from Russia [...] [...] 62’s photos of the week were of inspections of containers of refuse in China. Shanghai Scrap explains why the inspections are important, noting that some containers of scrap steel coming from Russia [...]

]]> By: Shanghai Scrap » Second Life http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117&cpage=1#comment-7540 Shanghai Scrap » Second Life Sun, 30 Sep 2007 02:49:18 +0000 http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117#comment-7540 [...] has published “Contaminated Exports … From Where?,” which originally appeared as a post on Shanghai Scrap. And just as it did in the comments section of this blog, the essay is generating heat in the [...] [...] has published “Contaminated Exports … From Where?,” which originally appeared as a post on Shanghai Scrap. And just as it did in the comments section of this blog, the essay is generating heat in the [...]

]]> By: Shanghai Scrap » Liu Jianhua’s Scrap http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117&cpage=1#comment-3192 Shanghai Scrap » Liu Jianhua’s Scrap Sun, 09 Sep 2007 23:42:42 +0000 http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117#comment-3192 [...] environmental effects caused by the processing of imported and domestic e-scrap in China. At Shanghai Scrap, and elsewhere, I have been very critical of US and European shippers of e-scrap to China and other [...] [...] environmental effects caused by the processing of imported and domestic e-scrap in China. At Shanghai Scrap, and elsewhere, I have been very critical of US and European shippers of e-scrap to China and other [...]

]]> By: Adam http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117&cpage=1#comment-528 Adam Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:47:20 +0000 http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117#comment-528 Peter - You make an excellent point here: the best scrap stays in its source country, despite being offered at the same price. Thanks for your post! Adam Peter -

You make an excellent point here: the best scrap stays in its source country, despite being offered at the same price. Thanks for your post!

Adam

]]> By: Peter http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117&cpage=1#comment-519 Peter Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:45:21 +0000 http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117#comment-519 Hi Guys, Sorry for the mistakes , english is not my primary language. I ship scrap every day to China and been doing this for several years. What Adam is saying is absolutely true... Here's the plain truth : all the nice and clean scrap is being ship to local or domestic processors and the price offered is the same or better in many cases than the one offered in China . And the dirty , soiled , or too expensive to treat locally is being ship to China. Now whoever wants to argue , well go do your homework before you open your mouths. Hi Guys,
Sorry for the mistakes , english is not my primary language.
I ship scrap every day to China and been doing this for several years.
What Adam is saying is absolutely true…
Here’s the plain truth : all the nice and clean scrap
is being ship to local or domestic processors and the price offered is the same or better in many cases than the one offered in China .
And the dirty , soiled , or too expensive to treat locally
is being ship to China.
Now whoever wants to argue , well go do your homework before you open your mouths.

]]> By: The Editors’ Journal » Blog Archive » Recommended reading http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117&cpage=1#comment-468 The Editors’ Journal » Blog Archive » Recommended reading Mon, 16 Jul 2007 02:52:07 +0000 http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117#comment-468 [...] Shanghai Scrap: Contaminated Exports â?¦ From Where? - Freelance journalist Adam Minter, who is on Shanghai’s scrap beat, gets ready to dig up the dirt on the massive global e-waste trade. His preliminary notes here. [...] [...] Shanghai Scrap: Contaminated Exports â?¦ From Where? – Freelance journalist Adam Minter, who is on Shanghai’s scrap beat, gets ready to dig up the dirt on the massive global e-waste trade. His preliminary notes here. [...]

]]> By: Adam http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117&cpage=1#comment-214 Adam Sun, 08 Jul 2007 16:03:59 +0000 http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117#comment-214 China Law Blog: I will indeed do a follow-up post. Likely before mid-week (I'm on deadline until then). For now, a brief answer to your question. In general, the scrap industry isn't terribly complicated, and most operators know the limited number of options available for processing difficult materials such as those that I discuss in the post. So, if a Taiwanese broker offers to buy tainted material from an American processor, more often than not the processor can deduce what possible low-cost means are available to the Mainland Chinese who will ultimately receive that material. And those means are not unknown to the scrap processors or even the general public - they've been widely discussed in the media for years. In my experience, most of the processors who export hazardous materials do so knowing - generally - that they will be handled in a manner that they wouldn't accept in their home communities. Anyway, more on this in the very near future ... China Law Blog: I will indeed do a follow-up post. Likely before mid-week (I’m on deadline until then). For now, a brief answer to your question. In general, the scrap industry isn’t terribly complicated, and most operators know the limited number of options available for processing difficult materials such as those that I discuss in the post. So, if a Taiwanese broker offers to buy tainted material from an American processor, more often than not the processor can deduce what possible low-cost means are available to the Mainland Chinese who will ultimately receive that material. And those means are not unknown to the scrap processors or even the general public – they’ve been widely discussed in the media for years. In my experience, most of the processors who export hazardous materials do so knowing – generally – that they will be handled in a manner that they wouldn’t accept in their home communities. Anyway, more on this in the very near future …

]]> By: Scott L. http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117&cpage=1#comment-202 Scott L. Sun, 08 Jul 2007 03:03:45 +0000 http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117#comment-202 I agree with China Law Blog that Americans place too high a compliant faith in their Asian and more recently Chinese partners. Again and again Westerners in general and Americans in particular willingly suspend common sense, their experience of life and accumulated business acumen to enter the twilight zone of belief that things are done differently in China and so a local is needed to work things out. All too many also believe that a partnership is intrinsically a win-win situation and are then hurt and surprised to discover the local partner or agent advances themself at the expense of the partnership. Is this simply American stupidity? No, I think this is willful naivety on the part of a culture (American) that looks to quick, easy answers and business guided by the quarterly returns, overseen by expat managers having no experience or education of the local culture. I agree with China Law Blog that Americans place too high a compliant faith in their Asian and more recently Chinese partners. Again and again Westerners in general and Americans in particular willingly suspend common sense, their experience of life and accumulated business acumen to enter the twilight zone of belief that things are done differently in China and so a local is needed to work things out. All too many also believe that a partnership is intrinsically a win-win situation and are then hurt and surprised to discover the local partner or agent advances themself at the expense of the partnership. Is this simply American stupidity? No, I think this is willful naivety on the part of a culture (American) that looks to quick, easy answers and business guided by the quarterly returns, overseen by expat managers having no experience or education of the local culture.

]]> By: China Law Blog http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117&cpage=1#comment-200 China Law Blog Sun, 08 Jul 2007 01:59:00 +0000 http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117#comment-200 Fantastic and fascinating post. I would love it if you would do a follow-up explaining (speculating?) why Americans seem to have so much trouble getting this right. I have an idea on this, based on very limited experience, and I am wondering if you think it holds water more broadly. My theory is that American to do this stuff right costs a pretty penny to get started and rather than believing this is necessary and as a way to avoid paying all fees, etc., Americans want so much to believe their Chinese "partners" that everything will be okay so they just go along. In other words, I think it is a combination of stupidity and cheapness, more than evil intent. I am not saying one is better than the other, I am just trying to figure out what is going on so that remedies can be discerned. Fantastic and fascinating post. I would love it if you would do a follow-up explaining (speculating?) why Americans seem to have so much trouble getting this right. I have an idea on this, based on very limited experience, and I am wondering if you think it holds water more broadly. My theory is that American to do this stuff right costs a pretty penny to get started and rather than believing this is necessary and as a way to avoid paying all fees, etc., Americans want so much to believe their Chinese “partners” that everything will be okay so they just go along. In other words, I think it is a combination of stupidity and cheapness, more than evil intent. I am not saying one is better than the other, I am just trying to figure out what is going on so that remedies can be discerned.

]]> By: ambrose http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117&cpage=1#comment-196 ambrose Sat, 07 Jul 2007 23:36:38 +0000 http://shanghaiscrap.com/?p=117#comment-196 In a related story, make sure you read <a> today in the SCMP. In a related story, make sure you read today in the SCMP.

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