Last month, China banned imports of some waste materials that can be reused in manufacturing. The move is forcing other countries to rethink their policies on recycled waste. Before the ban, China was the first resting place for about half of the world’s metal, plastic and paper recyclables. Now, the government has decided to ban the import of 24 categories of solid waste. The decision is causing problems for the international waste processing industry. Developed countries including the United States are trying to deal with ever increasing amounts of unprocessed waste. Now they have to find new places to send it.