Meghan Hodges
China has been taking several measures to tackle plastic pollution. In 2018, the country restricted the importation of recyclable materials, banning 24 kinds of solid materials, including plastic. China has also been trying to tackle plastic pollution domestically, with Shanghai being the first city to launch compulsory waste sorting, with plans to install facial recognition cameras at sorting stations to ensure residents dump their trash properly. The government has also banned free single-use plastic bags nationwide and has implemented waste-sorting rules in 45 other cities, with plans to extend them to the entire country by 2025.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic pollution in coastal waters | 200 million cubic meters of waste |
| Percentage of plastic pollution in the world's oceans | 30% |
| Plastic waste in the ocean each year | 5 million tons of the 8 million tons |
| Ban on the importation of solid materials | 24 types, including low-grade PET |
| Plastic waste in the ocean | 700,000 tons of abandoned fishing gear |
| Plastic bag usage reduction | Two-thirds in large shops and supermarkets |
| Plastic bags saved | 1.4 million tons |
| Number of cities with compulsory waste sorting | 45 |
| Target year for a nationwide rollout of trash-sorting rules | 2025 |
| Number of food delivery orders per day | 20 million on the Meituan app alone |
| Plastic bags and tape used for packaging in 2017 | 1.47 billion plastic bags and 330 million rolls of plastic tape |
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What You'll Learn
Ban on the importation of solid materials
China has long been the world's largest importer of plastic waste, accounting for 45% of global plastic waste imports since 1992. In 2016, China imported 1.42 million tons of plastic from the United States alone. The country's plastic recycling industry has contributed to its rapid industrialization and economic growth. However, the environmental repercussions of dealing with such vast amounts of waste have been immense. The unregulated plastic recycling business has polluted waterways, released toxic pollutants into the air, and dumped scraps directly into riverbeds.
In 2017, the Chinese government announced a ban on the importation of solid waste, including several types of plastics and other recyclable materials. The ban came into effect on January 1, 2018, and initially prohibited the importation of 24 types of materials, including eight types of post-consumer plastic scrap, one type of unsorted paper, 12 types of used textiles, and four metal slags containing vanadium.
The ban was a significant step in China's commitment to reducing solid waste pollution and its efforts to shed its image as the world's garbage dump. It also shifted the focus to addressing the country's domestic plastic pollution crisis. China is the world's biggest producer and consumer of plastics, with an annual average of 60 million tons, of which only about 30% is recycled. The country accounts for nearly one-third of the global single-use and virgin plastics production.
The ban on the importation of solid waste is expected to have both positive and negative consequences globally. On the one hand, Western countries will be forced to develop their own waste management systems instead of relying on third countries. On the other hand, developing nations in Southeast Asia may benefit from the increasing flow of cheap recyclable materials, similar to China's successful industrial development. However, experts are concerned about the immediate repercussions of China's ban on the overall plastic management strategies of other nations.
China's ban on the importation of solid waste is a bold move to address its internal plastic pollution crisis and encourage global waste disposal reform. While it may have both positive and negative outcomes, the ultimate success of this measure will depend on the ability of all nations to work together towards more sustainable waste management practices.
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Compulsory waste sorting
China has taken several steps to tackle its plastic pollution problem. One of the most notable measures is the introduction of compulsory waste sorting in several cities. Shanghai was the first Chinese city to implement mandatory waste sorting, with residents and companies facing penalties for non-compliance.
The waste-sorting initiative is part of the Chinese government's efforts to address the country's growing waste crisis and curb pollution. Shanghai, with its population of 26 million, serves as a testing ground for the new trash-sorting rules, which are expected to be extended to the entire country by 2025.
The trash-sorting program involves separating different types of trash, such as recyclables and non-recyclables, using colour-coded bins. To assist locals in learning the rules, miniature replicas of the new waste-sorting bins were distributed. Some districts even plan to install facial recognition cameras at sorting stations to ensure residents properly dispose of their garbage.
The Chinese government hopes that these measures will help create a new attitude toward garbage, similar to what is seen in countries like Germany, where strict recycling rules are a point of national pride. Shanghai's new trash policy also includes measures to reduce single-use plastic items. For instance, hotels are encouraged to stop providing disposable items such as toothbrushes, and restaurants and food delivery apps are instructed not to include plastic disposable cutlery unless requested by customers.
The compulsory waste sorting initiative is a significant step towards reducing landfill waste and addressing the environmental and health impacts of plastic pollution in China.
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Reducing single-use plastics
China has taken several measures to reduce single-use plastics. In 2018, the country banned the importation of foreign recyclables, including 24 types of solid materials, such as plastics. This move aimed to reduce the amount of foreign recyclables entering China, which had previously accounted for over half of the world's recyclable imports.
China has also implemented measures to reduce single-use plastic items within the country. For example, hotels in Shanghai are discouraged from offering disposable items such as toothbrushes to every customer, and restaurants and food delivery apps have been instructed not to include plastic disposable cutlery unless requested.
In addition, China banned free single-use plastic bags nationwide over a decade ago, requiring consumers to pay a small fee for plastic bags. This initiative reduced plastic bag usage by two-thirds in large shops and supermarkets by 2016, saving 1.4 million tons of plastics. However, due to a lack of enforcement and public education, single-use plastic bags remain prevalent in private shops and markets.
To further reduce plastic waste, the National Development and Reform Commissions (NDRC), China's key economic planning body, is expected to revise a 2008 order. The NDRC aims to strengthen the ban on producing and selling plastic bags under a certain thickness and reinforce the requirement for retailers to charge customers for plastic bags.
Shanghai, the country's richest city, has become a testing ground for new trash-sorting rules, with 45 other Chinese cities scheduled to implement similar regulations. These rules aim to cut down on landfill waste, including plastic, and curb pollution in the country's air, soil, and water.
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Banning free plastic bags
China has been taking several measures to reduce its plastic consumption and pollution. One of the most prominent steps taken by the Chinese government is banning free plastic bags. In 2008, China banned retailers from giving out free plastic bags and prohibited the production and sale of ultra-thin plastic bags less than 0.025 millimetres thick. This ban was expected to be revised in 2018 by the National Development and Reform Commissions (NDRC), China's key economic planning body.
The distribution of free plastic bags by retailers was made compulsory for a charge. In 2020, the NDRC and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment jointly issued a policy document, "Opinions on Further Strengthening the Cleanup of Plastic Pollution," which outlined a five-year roadmap to restrict the use of plastic bags by 2022 and other single-use plastic products by 2025. As a result, plastic bags were banned across all Chinese cities and towns in 2022, with markets selling fresh produce exempt until 2025.
The production and sale of plastic bags thinner than 0.025 mm were also prohibited. Postal and courier services in specified developed areas, including major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong, were prohibited from using non-degradable plastic packaging bags by 2022, with a nationwide ban to follow by 2025. These measures are part of China's efforts to phase out most single-use plastic items by 2025 and reduce its significant contribution to global plastic pollution, estimated at nearly 30% in 2015.
The Chinese government's actions are not limited to banning plastic bags. They have also implemented trash-sorting rules in Shanghai, with plans to extend them nationwide by 2025. Hotels and restaurants have been instructed to reduce the use of single-use plastic items and not offer them for free by 2025. China has also restricted the importation of recyclable materials, including plastic, to combat plastic pollution further. These comprehensive measures demonstrate China's commitment to tackling its plastic waste problem and contributing to global efforts to reduce plastic pollution.
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Moving polluting industries
China has taken several steps to address plastic pollution, including moving polluting industries out of major cities and banning the import of certain types of solid materials for recycling.
In the past, China has relied on superficial policies to reduce waste, such as banning free shopping bags and restricting the importation of recyclable materials. On January 1, 2018, China introduced a ban on the importation of 24 kinds of solid materials, including low-grade polyethylene terephthalate used in plastic bottles. This move was aimed at reducing the country's massive plastic pollution problem and encouraging the development of domestic recycling industries.
However, China's recycling industry has long been plagued by issues such as unregulated plastic recycling businesses, which have caused immense environmental and health impacts. The cleaning process pollutes waterways, melting and burning scraps release toxic pollutants into the air, and leftover pieces unfit for recycling are dumped directly into riverbeds.
To address these issues, China has started to implement more aggressive measures to combat plastic pollution. For example, Shanghai's new trash policy includes measures to reduce single-use plastic items, such as hotels no longer offering disposable products like toothbrushes to every customer. Restaurants and food delivery apps have also been instructed not to include plastic disposable cutlery unless specifically requested by the customer.
In addition, the Chinese government is pushing all retail, e-commerce, and express parcel delivery businesses to reduce the use of disposable plastic packaging by 2025 and to have at least 10 million reusable boxes for express delivery in use. The plan also seeks to promote plastic alternatives such as bamboo, wood, and paper, as well as scientific research into biodegradable plastics.
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Frequently asked questions
China has implemented various measures to reduce plastic pollution, including banning the import of most recyclable waste, such as low-grade polyethylene terephthalate used in plastic bottles, cracking down on single-use plastic bags, and introducing compulsory waste sorting in cities like Shanghai.
China faces several challenges in reducing plastic pollution, including inadequate waste disposal facilities, unauthorized dumping, and the environmental and health impacts of its unregulated plastic recycling businesses.
The National Sword policy, enacted in January 2018, bans the import of most recyclable waste into China. This policy helps China combat plastic pollution by reducing the amount of foreign recyclable waste entering the country, which had been contributing to domestic plastic waste and causing human health and environmental issues.
