SN/T 5353-2025 in English

Background of Standard Revision and Technological Evolution

SN/T 5353-2025 "Inspection Procedure for Imported Recycled Steel Raw Materials", as an important industry standard issued by the General Administration of Customs, will be officially implemented on August 1, 2025, completely replacing the 2021 version of the standard. This revision reflects my country's continuous optimization and technological progress in the field of supervision of imported recycled resources.

The background of the standard revision stems from the deepening of the country's policy on the recycling of renewable resources and the actual need for quality and safety supervision of recycled steel raw materials in international trade. With the advancement of the dual carbon" goals, the standardized import inspection of recycled steel raw materials, as an important ferrous resource, is particularly important.

In-depth analysis of major technical changes

Compared with the 2021 version, the new version of the standard has made 23 important adjustments in technical content, mainly including updated term definitions, refined inspection requirements, and improved technical indicators.

Classification and technical indicators of recycled steel raw materials

The standard divides imported recycled steel raw materials into 5 categories, each with clear appearance characteristics and technical requirements:

Ordinary recycled steel raw materials: length ≤1500mm, width ≤600mm, made by sorting, disassembling and shearing of retired steel products and processing waste.

Crushed type recycled steel raw materials: Irregular crushed or pellet-like raw materials made by crushing automobile dismantling materials and other raw materials.

Bagged type recycled steel raw materials: Block raw materials with a length ≤1500mm and a width ≤1000mm, made by packaging.

Recycled alloy steel raw materials: Made by sorting and shearing recycled stainless steel parts, tool steel and other alloy steels.

Recycled cast iron raw materials: Made by sorting and shearing cast iron products with a thickness of more than 2.0mm.

Technical requirements for key inspection items

On-site inspection process specifications

Chapter 5 of the standard specifies the complete on-site inspection process in detail. Inspectors must conduct inspections in the order of radioactive contamination → explosives → hazardous waste → apparent characteristics → inclusion content → physical quantity of steel.

Radioactive contamination inspections use a combination of channel-type radiation detection equipment and manual inspections to ensure absolute nuclear safety. For goods that trigger an alarm, point-based inspections must be conducted in accordance with the normative procedures in Appendix B.

Hazardous waste inspection requires that inspectors be familiar with the "National Hazardous Waste List". When suspected hazardous waste content exceeds the standard, it is necessary to accurately calculate it using formula (1) and send it to the laboratory for identification if necessary.

Sampling Technical Requirements

Chapter 6 of the standard systematically specifies sampling requirements to ensure the representativeness of samples and the accuracy of inspection results:

For containerized goods, one container in each inspection batch is a sampling unit. When the number of sampling units is not more than 4, at least 5 points are selected for each unit; when the number is more than 4, at least 3 points are selected for each unit, and the total number of sampling points is not less than 20.

Sample quantity requirements: at least 50kg for ordinary raw materials and at least 10kg for crushed materials. All samples are combined into one sample as the final sample.

Implementation Recommendations and Precautions

Based on the standard requirements, relevant companies are advised to:

1. Source quality control: Strict sorting and processing are carried out in the exporting country to ensure that the raw materials meet the requirements of Chinese standards

2. Document declaration: Different types of recycled raw materials are not allowed to be declared under the same customs declaration form, and the raw material category must be accurately indicated

3. Shipping isolation measures: Different types of recycled steel raw materials must be independently packaged or physically separated

4. Adequate preparation for inspection: Prepare the necessary sampling, cutting and testing equipment in advance to ensure the smooth progress of the inspection

Customs inspection personnel should be equipped with necessary equipment such as mobile inspection and law enforcement operation terminals, audio and video law enforcement recorders and handheld radioactivity detection equipment, and carry out their work in strict accordance with safety protection requirements.

Impact Analysis of Standard Implementation

The implementation of SN/T 5353-2025 will further enhance the quality and safety of my country's imported recycled steel raw materials and promote the standardized development of the recycling industry. The detailed requirements of the standard provide a clear technical basis for customs supervision and also impose higher quality requirements on international trading companies.

With the development of the global circular economy, recycled steel raw materials, as an important strategic resource, will have standardized import inspections that will strongly support the green transformation of my country's steel industry and the realization of its sustainable development goals.