Helena Joyce
China is the world's largest producer, consumer, and exporter of plastics, and plastic pollution is a stark problem in the country. China has implemented various measures to combat plastic pollution, including bans on plastic bags and imports of plastic waste, as well as plans to phase out single-use plastics and promote alternatives. Despite these efforts, plastic waste continues to be a significant issue, with only about 17% of plastic recycled in China. The Chinese government has introduced new laws and regulations to address the problem, and there are ongoing projects and collaborations to improve plastic waste management and reduce pollution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic consumption | Consumes at least one-fifth of the world's plastics |
| Plastic production | Largest producer of single-use and virgin plastics |
| Plastic export | Largest exporter of single-use and virgin plastics |
| Plastic import | Banned import of most plastic waste in 2017/2018 |
| Plastic waste | Largest source of mismanaged plastic waste |
| Plastic pollution | Biggest offender of ocean plastic pollution |
| Plastic pollution focus | Focuses on urban areas, not agriculture |
| Plastic pollution reduction | Promulgates policies for plastic pollution reduction |
| Plastic policies | 41 plastic-pertinent policies as of 2021 |
| Plastic packaging | Policies focus on reducing plastic packaging |
| Plastic straws | Bans non-degradable single-use plastic straws |
| Plastic waste management | Plans to increase waste incineration capabilities |
| Plastic alternatives | Promotes plastic alternatives such as bamboo, wood, and paper |
| Plastic waste reduction | World Bank approved a $250 million loan to reduce plastic pollution in Shaanxi Province |
| Plastic recycling | Focuses on downstream interventions, such as recycling |
| Plastic waste collection | Engages municipal governments, communities, and the informal waste sector to improve waste collection |
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What You'll Learn
China's ban on importing plastic waste
China, the world's largest producer and consumer of plastics, has been plagued by plastic pollution for decades. In 2017, China announced a ban on importing most plastic waste, which came into effect in 2018. This move had a significant impact on global plastic waste trade, as China was the largest importer of waste plastics, accounting for 56% of the global market.
The ban was part of a series of policies aimed at tackling pollution and improving the processing of plastic waste. China's economy had been highly associated with imported waste, and the country had been a dumping ground for foreign waste for over two decades. The waste-recycling industry, which once contributed to the country's prosperity and rapid industrialization, had become a low-profit enterprise, causing massive increases in air and water pollution.
The import ban included 24 types of solid waste, such as eight types of post-consumer plastic scrap, one type of unsorted paper, 12 types of used textiles, and four metal slags containing vanadium. China also banned plastic waste with contamination levels above 0.05%. This move halved imports of solid waste and nearly ceased imports of scrap plastic in 2018.
In 2019, China added another 16 materials to the banned list, and in 2020, it indicated its intention to ban all solid waste imports starting in 2021. China's import ban on plastic waste is expected to have a positive impact on the country's environmental sustainability by reducing its carbon footprint and mitigating plastic waste trade flow worldwide. However, it also had repercussions on countries that depended on China to manage their waste.
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Plastic pollution in China's rivers
China is the world's biggest producer and consumer of plastics, with plastic consumption soaring in recent years, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. As such, plastic pollution has long been a significant issue for the country. China is the largest source of mismanaged plastic waste and is the biggest offender of ocean plastic pollution.
The country's rivers have been particularly affected by plastic pollution, with agricultural plastic films, mismanaged waste, and sewage systems all contributing to the problem. Modelling has indicated that 716 kton of plastics entered Chinese rivers in 2015, with macroplastics accounting for 85% of the total amount. The Yangtze River, Asia's longest river, is a notable example, with its basin comprising one-fifth of the country's land area and supporting nearly one-third of the population.
In recent years, China has taken steps to address plastic pollution, including a ban on importing plastic waste in 2017, which had a significant impact on global environmental sustainability. The country has also implemented policies to reduce the use of disposable plastic packaging and promote alternatives such as bamboo, wood, and paper. China has also been transitioning from a mixed-waste collection system and improving solid waste management infrastructure.
However, China's plastic policy landscape has been criticised for focusing on end-pipe solutions rather than addressing plastic production. Nevertheless, with a growing number of plastic-related policies and regulatory developments, the country is showing a serious and concentrated effort to govern plastics and reduce plastic pollution.
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Plastic waste in the ocean
China, the world's biggest producer and consumer of plastics, has been facing mounting plastic pollution, especially in its oceans. In 2019, the Chinese State Oceanic Administration reported that 81% of its coastal waters experienced plastic pollution. China is the largest source of mismanaged plastic waste and is the biggest offender of ocean plastic pollution.
China's plastic waste in the ocean is largely due to the discharge of municipal solid waste from rural areas, with up to half of this waste in rural China left untreated and remaining in the environment. Rivers, particularly the Yangtze River, are considered the dominant contributors to plastic pollution in the ocean. In 2015, mismanaged solid waste contributed to 65% of macro- and microplastics in all rivers in China, with sewage systems also playing a role, especially in more urbanized areas. The middle and eastern parts of China receive considerable amounts of microplastics in their rivers, with pollution hotspots located in central and eastern China.
To combat plastic pollution, China has implemented various measures. In 2017, China banned the import of most plastic waste, significantly improving environmental sustainability indicators. China has also been transitioning from a mixed-waste collection system to strengthen plastic pollution control. In 2020, the government pushed businesses to reduce the use of disposable plastic packaging and promote plastic alternatives, with a focus on clearing plastic waste from key lakes, rivers, tourist attractions, and rural areas.
In Zhejiang, a digital platform was launched in partnership with local businesses to control marine plastic pollution using blockchain and IoT technologies. This initiative involves collecting marine plastics, processing them into reusable raw materials, and sharing the economic benefits with marine waste collectors. China has also collaborated with the UN and the Republic of Korea in the Yellow Sea to clean up marine litter, with positive results.
Despite these efforts, China's plastic policy landscape has been criticized for focusing on end-pipe solutions rather than addressing plastic production. Studies suggest that China needs to tackle the root causes of plastic pollution by eliminating plastic at the source, encouraging responsible production, and improving waste management systems.
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Plastic packaging and disposable tableware
China is the world's largest producer and consumer of plastics, with plastic consumption accounting for at least one-fifth of the world's total. The country has also been the single largest producer and exporter of single-use and virgin plastics, as well as the biggest offender of ocean plastic pollution.
The Chinese government has been taking steps to address the issue of plastic pollution, particularly in the form of plastic packaging and disposable tableware. In 2020, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) released an announcement titled "The Measures for reporting the Use and Recycling of Disposable Plastic Products in the Commercial Field (Trial)", which regulates the use and recycling of disposable plastic products in supermarkets, shopping malls, trade markets, retail, and catering enterprises, including those providing takeaway services through e-commerce platforms. This move aims to address the growing problem of plastic pollution from the country's rapidly expanding e-commerce, express delivery, and food delivery industries.
The MOC's announcement specifically targets disposable plastic products such as non-degradable plastic shopping bags, coiled bags, plastic packaging bags (including woven bags), non-degradable disposable plastic lunch boxes, plastic tableware (knives, forks, spoons), and plastic straws. The Chinese government has also been promoting the use of plastic alternatives such as bamboo, wood, and paper, as well as encouraging scientific research into biodegradable plastics.
In addition to regulatory measures, China has also been working on improving its waste management infrastructure and city planning to reduce plastic pollution. The country has set a target of increasing its waste incineration capabilities to burn up to 800,000 tons of urban domestic waste per day by 2025. While this may help reduce the volume of plastic waste, waste incineration has been criticised for contributing to global warming and air pollution.
China's efforts to combat plastic pollution have been a growing concern for the government since the early 2000s, with a sharp increase in policy implementation since 2016. The country has also banned the import of most plastic waste since 2017, which has significantly reduced the global plastic waste trade flow and improved environmental sustainability worldwide. Despite these efforts, China's plastic pollution problem remains serious, with a low regeneration utilization ratio and a rapid increase in plastic pollution from the takeaway food industry.
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The role of Sinopec
China is the world's largest producer and consumer of plastics, with plastic pollution a significant issue for the country. China is also the largest source of mismanaged plastic waste and the biggest offender of ocean plastic pollution.
Sinopec, or the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, is a state-owned Chinese oil and gas enterprise based in Beijing. Sinopec is one of the biggest culprits contributing to China's plastic pollution crisis. In 2019, the company produced about 5.3 million tonnes of single-use plastic waste, making it the third-largest single-use plastic waste producer in the world.
Sinopec has a history of environmental pollution. In 2007, China's top environmental watchdog warned Sinopec to stop operations at one of its oil fields due to chronic river pollution. The company's Zhongyuan Oilfields Petrochemical Company unit had failed to meet wastewater treatment requirements and was ordered to pay a pollution fine. An oil pipeline explosion in 2013 in Shandong Province, which killed at least 62 people, was linked to oil leaking from a Sinopec pipeline.
Despite this, Sinopec has taken some steps to address plastic pollution. In 2012, the company pledged to help clean up a large spill of plastic pellets in Hong Kong waters, setting aside funds for the cleanup.
To combat plastic pollution, China has implemented a range of policies and regulations, including a ban on importing most plastic waste in 2017 and a ban on non-degradable single-use plastic straws. The country is also promoting plastic alternatives and biodegradable plastics, increasing waste incineration capabilities, and pushing businesses to reduce disposable plastic packaging.
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Frequently asked questions
China is the world's largest producer, consumer, and exporter of plastic. In 2020, China produced about 60 million tonnes of plastic waste, of which only 16 million tonnes were recycled. China also contributes significantly to ocean plastic waste, with up to half of the municipal solid waste in rural China going untreated and ending up in the ocean.
China has implemented various measures to tackle plastic pollution, including banning free shopping bags, prohibiting the import of plastic waste, and introducing new laws and regulations to limit single-use plastic and cut plastic production. China is also promoting plastic alternatives, such as bamboo and paper, and improving waste management systems.
China's ban on importing plastic waste has had a significant impact on global environmental sustainability. By refusing to accept waste from developed countries, China has disrupted the global plastic waste trade flow and forced countries to re-evaluate their waste management practices. China's domestic efforts to reduce plastic pollution are also aligned with its 2060 carbon neutrality targets.
