China has set up a mechanism that effectively blocks entry of overseas wastes causing security or health problems, said an official with the state quality watchdog in Beijing Monday.

Li Changjiang, director of the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, made the remarks at the annual work meeting of heads of local inspection and quarantine departments.

China imports wastes from overseas and recycles it for cheap production materials. "The certified overseas wastes will help promote the development of recycle economy," said Li.

However, wastes often come along with harmful effects on the environment, national security and public safety, Li said.

China issued licenses to overseas companies qualified for waste export, and designated a batch of quarantine centers to give strict checkup to all the wastes before shipping to China.

China also strengthened the inspection and quarantine work at all the boarders. Producers of goods, which have been found to cause security or health problems, will be put on the blacklist and deprived of the licenses.

During the first 11 months of this year, the border inspection and quarantine departments in China uncovered 150 million US dollars-worth of imported wastes which failed to meet the required quality standards, according to the administration.