Chinese Intercept Shipment Of Radioactive Scrap Metal

Chinese customs officials have intercepted a 78-ton shipment of radioactive scrap metal from the United States, some of which registered 30 times the official safety limit.

The discovery follows Chinese complaints that foreign companies are trying to dump dangerous medical and industrial wastes in China to avoid the cost of disposing of them at home.

An emergency team was sent to deal with the scrap iron and steel, intercepted Friday in Tianjin, a port 100 miles southeast of Beijing, the official Xinhua news agency reported Tuesday.

It said one of the seven containers registered radioactivity 30 times China’s official safety limit. Xinhua said the shipment arrived from Houston.

Chinese companies import huge amounts of waste paper and metal for recycling.