China to raise import tariffs on U.S. scrap copper, aluminium from Dec 15

BEIJING, Aug 24 (Reuters) -

* China will impose an extra 5% tariff on imports of copper scrap and aluminium scrap from the United States from Dec. 15, according to a list of retaliatory tariffs published by the Ministry of Finance late on Friday.

* Beijing had already levied a 25% tariff on copper scrap from the United States, one of its biggest suppliers, in a previous round of duties and twice hit U.S. scrap aluminium with a 25% tariff in 2018.

* The tariffs saw China's copper scrap imports from the United States fall by 80% year-on-year in the first half of 2019 to around 52,022 tonnes, customs data show, while aluminium scrap imports were down 16% to 229,837 tonnes.

* China, the world's biggest metals consumer, is tightening restrictions on imports of scrap metal, regardless of its origin, as part of an environmental campaign against foreign solid waste. (Reporting by Tom Daly; additional reporting by Winni Zhou in SHANGHAI; Editing by Paul Tait)