ARUSHA, Tanzania, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania has suspended importation, exportation, recycling and collection of hazardous waste until a new system governing the trade practices are announced, a senior official said on Thursday.

January Makamba, a Minister of State in the Vice President's Office for Union Affairs and Environment, said in a statement that the suspended hazardous waste included scrap metal, used batteries, electronic waste.

He also prohibited traders from receiving hazardous waste from anyone who does not have a permit to do so from the office of the Vice-President.

According to the statement, the government knew there were 40 containers loaded with scrap metal in the port awaiting exportation. But to the shock of the ministerial delegation only 10 containers were sitting in the port yesterday, 34 had been sailed out of the country reportedly without authorization.

The Environment Act bars any person from transporting within Tanzania or exporting through Tanzania hazardous waste without ministerial permit.

Existing permits for collecting and transporting hazardous waste are invalid from Thursday, the statement said.

The statement said all people trading in categorized hazardous waste must register themselves with the National Environment Management Council.