LONDON, June 1 - A flood of potentially "dubious" biodiesel imports into Europe from China needs to be subject to closer EU vetting or it could trigger the collapse of the European Union's biofuels industry, top producer body EWABA said on Wednesday.
The EU has provided incentives for the production of biodiesel made with waste oils and fat as part of its efforts to increase renewable energy use. European vegetable oil industry group FEDIOL last week cited an abnormal rise in imports of biodiesel classified as waste-based as a reason for plummeting rapeseed prices.
EWABA said the EU-backed inspection mechanism has not sufficiently checked imports and traders say spot audits in China are insufficient to ensure less sustainable materials, notably palm oil, are not used to make biofuel.