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1、A Baseline Report on PlasticsPlastic Production,Consumption,Discarding,and RecyclingAcross China and Across theWorldThis report is part of the project of Plastic PollutionPrevention and Control Through the Entire Value ChainModality(Project No.:CPR/SGP/OP6/Y7/CORE/PLA/2022/01)Prepared byWang Yonggan

2、gSecretary-General,China Plastics Recycling Association ofCRRA,China National Resources Recycling Association(CRRA)Deputy Director,Green Recycled Plastic Supply ChainJoint Working Group(GRPG)Man JuanDirector,International Department,China Petroleum andChemical Industry Federation(CPCIF)Director,GPRG

3、 OfficeNi YaoDeputy Director,Department of International Cooperation,All-China Environment Federation(ACEF)Gao YangSenior Expert on International Green and Circular EconomyDeputy Director,GRPG OfficeChen YanDeputySecretary-General,ChinaPlasticsRecyclingAssociation of CRRA,China National Resources Re

4、cyclingAssociation(CRRA)Supported byChinaPetroleumandChemicalIndustryFederation(CPCIF)China National Resources Recycling Association(CRRA)China Plastic Processing Industry Association(CPPIA)DisclaimerThisreportdoesnotrepresenttheviewsofanyorganization,and all data are quoted from publicly availables

5、ources(see References on page 32 of this report).About the Project of Plastic Pollution Prevention and Control Throughthe Entire Value Chain ModalityTheGlobalEnvironmentFacility(GEF)SmallGrantsProgrammeimplemented by United Nations Development Programme(UNDP)launchedthe Plastic Innovation Programme(

6、PIP)at the end of 2021 to solicitsystematic solutions to plastic pollution globally.After a public call forproposals and a vetting and selection process,the project of Plastic PollutionPreventionand Control Throughthe Entire Value Chain Modality,co-designed by the All-China Environment Federation(AC

7、EF)and theGRPG,was selected by the National Steering Committee of GEF SGP inChina in April 2022.The project will work with stakeholders in the plasticvalue chain to explore and practise solutions to upstream,midstream anddownstream management of plastic pollution.It will analyze the baseline ofthe e

8、ntire plastics industry chain,and identify the key challenges andproblems in Chinas plastic pollution control;develop demonstration sites forzero-waste management system and plastic pollution reduction models at thecommunity level;organize policy communication and advocacy to addressthe key issues i

9、n plastic pollution control,and facilitate the formulation andimplementation of relevant policies;and at the same time carry out publicityand communication campaigns with stakeholders to increase the publicawareness on the issue of plastic pollution and spur the public actions onreducing plastic pol

10、lution.The outputs of the project will serve as a referencefor relevant policymakers,city administrators,businesses and citizens athome and abroad,and therefore enable stakeholders from all sectors ofsociety to gain insights into the state of plastic pollution and take effectivemeasures to put an en

11、d to pollution and waste of resources from the source.Meanwhile,the project will also contribute non-governmental Chinesesolutions to the conclusion of a legally binding international agreement onplastic pollution by 2024,as proposed by the United Nations EnvironmentAssembly(UNEA).GEF Small Grants P

12、rogramme(SGP)Established in 1992 as a corporate programme of the Global EnvironmentFacility(GEF),the GEF Small Grants Programme is implemented by theUnited Nations Development Programme(UNDP).SGP funds sustainabledevelopment projects implemented by local non-governmental organizations,especially for

13、 the good of indigenous peoples,women and youth,in 125countries around the world to promote community-based innovation,capacity building and empowerment.SGP has supported over 20,000community projects globally in biodiversity conservation,climate changemitigation and adaptation,prevention of land de

14、gradation,protection ofinternational waters,and reduction of the impact of chemicals,whiledeveloping sustainable lifestyles.All-China Environment Federation(ACEF)Founded in 2005,the All-China Environment Federation(ACEF)is anationwide non-profitable civil society organization(CSO)composed ofindividu

15、als,businesses and public institutions that are enthusiastic about andsupport environmental protection on a voluntary basis.ACEF is approved bythe State Council of the Peoples Republic of China,registered with theMinistry of Civil Affairs,and guided and regulated by the Ministry ofEcology and Enviro

16、nment and the Ministry of Civil Affairs.With the aim ofbuilding a platform for unified effort to protect the ecological environment inChina,ACEF has been committed to liaison and coordination,internationalexchanges,andenvironmentalrightsprotectionforenvironmentalnon-governmental organizations(NGOs)n

17、ationwide since its founding,bykeeping in mind the philosophy of uniting all the people of the whole Chinato protect the environment.It strives to promote the development ofenvironmental undertakings in China and for all humanity by giving full playto its role as a bridge between the government and

18、society.Green Recycled Plastic Supply Chain Joint Working Group(GRPG)The Green Recycled Plastic Supply Chain Joint Working Group(GRPG)isChinas first collaborative industrial chain platform,co-initiated by ChinaPetroleum and Chemical Industry Federation(CPCIF),China NationalResources Recycling Associ

19、ation(CRRA)and China Plastic ProcessingIndustry Association(CPPIA)in partnership with leading enterprises in theindustrial chain in June 2020.GRPG aims to address bottlenecks in thecircular plastics economy through collaboration among upstream anddownstream enterprises in the plastics industry,inclu

20、ding those engaged inproduction,processing,branding,recycling and disposal.It has strong policyadvocacy and industrial influence on plastics-related issues.INTRODUCTIONPlastic is an important raw material that has been used invarious areas of daily life and production.It is used to ensurefood safety

21、,promote grain production,manufacture logisticscontainers,reduce social operating costs,and make daily lifemore convenient,proven to be a widely applicable,highlyreliable and affordable material.Per capita consumption ofplastics also reflects the economic development level of acountry.China is alrea

22、dy a major country in the production,processing and consumption of plastic raw materials andproducts.According to statistics,Chinas plastic production in2020 was more than 100 million tons,in which plasticproducts from industrial enterprises above designated sizeexceeded 76 million tons,indicating a

23、 growing demand forrawmaterials,anexpandingeconomicscale,andanimproving living standard in the country.The huge consumption of plastics will generate a massivevolume of plastic wastes,but not all plastic wastes will causepollution.The root cause of plastic pollution lies not in theincrease in plasti

24、c consumption or waste,but whether plasticshave been properly recycled and disposed of after beingdiscarded.Plastic pollution is caused by plastic waste leakingintotheenvironment,andthefundamentalcausesofenvironmental leakage are the lack of garbage removalcapacity and littering.It has become a glob

25、al consensus that we should see plasticpollution scientifically and rationally,actively and effectivelycontrol man-made leakage,build a scientific and precisewaste management system,properly manage and controlplastic waste,relieve disposal burden,and increase theproportion of recycling.It should be

26、noted that withenhancementofpublicawarenessofenvironmentalprotection,problem-orientedandprecisepolicyimplementation,improvement of garbage removal capacity,and changes in garbage disposal methods,the capacity in safedisposal of plastic waste will be greatly improved.Also,aswaste management system ge

27、ts improved and new recyclingtechnology developed,recycling rate will continue to rise,hence high-value utilization of plastic waste.Under a preciseandscientificmanagementsystem,plasticpollutionisgenerally controllable and recycling of plastic waste can bemuch more efficient.At the same time,the rec

28、ycling of plastic waste has providedconsiderable plastic raw materials for Chinas economic development.Statistics from China Plastics Recycling Association of China NationalResources Recycling Association(CRRA)show that Chinas domesticrecycled plastic production in 2021 was 13.77 million tons,and th

29、at inthe past five years,plastic materials generated from recycled plasticwaste in China has amounted to 86 million tons,equivalent to Chinasannual plastic products production.This saved a large amount of oilresources,reduceddependenceonoil,andmadesubstantialcontributions to Chinas economic developm

30、ent.Through decades of efforts,China has achieved remarkable results inplastic pollution control.First,it established an extensive market-basedplastic waste recycling system,ranking first in the world in recyclingplastic waste.Second,relying on a solid plastics industry system,itbuilt a complete cir

31、cular system covering collection,recycling andutilization.Third,China not only achieved 100%local utilization of itsown plastic waste,but also disposed of plastic waste from developedcountries between 1992 and 2018,contributing greatly to global plasticpollution control.By developing a circular plas

32、tics economy,Chinahas explored a feasible path for proper use of plastics worldwide andsustainable development of mankind.This report provides an overviewof the production,consumption,waste and recycling of plastics aroundthe world and in key countries and regions.It systematically sorts outChinas p

33、lastics industry and plastic waste recycling,as well as Chinasurban plastic pollution control and sustainable consumption among thepublic.Through this report,readers will have a comprehensiveunderstanding of the plastics industry,plastic pollution,plastic wasterecycling,and plastic waste disposal ac

34、ross the world and in China.ContentsI.Overview of Global Plastic Production and Plastic WasteDisposal01(i)Global Plastic Production and Supply01(ii)Global Recycling and Disposal of Plastic Waste05II.Overview of Plastic Production and Plastic Waste Disposal inChina07(i)Plastic Production and Supply i

35、n China07(ii)Recycling and Disposal of Plastic Waste in China09III.Overview of Plastic Pollution Prevention and Control inChinese Cities17(i)Overview of Plastic Pollution in Cities19(ii)Urban Plastic Pollution Prevention and Control System andMechanism21IV.Public Engagement in Plastic Pollution Cont

36、rol and SustainableConsumption in China24(i)Awareness of Sustainable Consumption25(ii)Green Procurement28(iii)Green Labels29.Conclusion311PART 1IOverview of Global Plastic Production andPlastic Waste Disposal(i)Global Plastic Production and SupplyThe demand for plastics has been rising significantly

37、 year by year,as global population increases and world economy develops in afast manner.Statistics from OECD show that global production ofall types of resins and chemical fibers climbed from 234 milliontons in 2000 to 431 million tons in 2019,nearly doubling in lessthan 20 years.In 2019,429 million

38、 tons of plastic raw materialswere produced from petroleum sources and 2 million tons frombio-based sources.In 2021,the United Nations EnvironmentProgramme(UNEP)released a report titled From Pollution ToSolution:A Global Assessment Of Marine Litter And PlasticPollution,noting that the global cumulat

39、ive production of virginplastics was about 9.2 billion tons between 1950 and 2017 andcould reach 34 billion tons by 2050,with an average annual growthrate of about 7.9%.I.Global Plastic Consumption and Plastic Waste Disposal2Table 1-1.Global Production of Virgin Plastics and Per Capita Consumption i

40、n 2015-20502015201620172018201920202035(Predicted)2050(Predicted)Global Per Capita Consumption(kg/person)43.6344.8846.1147.0447.7146.6084.37113.51Global Total Production(106tons)3223353483593683677341101Note:PET fiber/acrylic fibre/nylon fiber are excluded;thermoplastics/PU/thermoset plastics/elasto

41、mer/adhesive/coating material/sealant/PP fiber,etc.are included.Figure 1-1.Global Plastic Production,Accumulation and Future TrendFigure 1-2.Global Plastic Production and ConsumptionSource:PlasticsEuropeIncineration1 billion tonsIn use2.9 billion tons106tonsRecycling700 million tonsWaste5.3 billion

42、tonsAnnualproductionResin and1950-2017Accumulation9.2 billion tons20502035202020192018201720162015Predicted per capita consumption of plastics(kg/person)Predicted global production of plastics(106tons)Per capita consumption of plastics(kg/person)Global production of plastics(106tons)I.Global Plastic

43、 Consumption and Plastic Waste Disposal31.Global plastic waste and their collection(1)Global plastic wasteSince 1950,about 8.3 billion tons of plastics have beendiscarded globally.The OECD,in its 2022 released GlobalPlastics Outlook,estimated thattotal global plastic wastes in 2019 were 353 million

44、tons,in which 55 million tons(15.58%)entered the plasticwaste collection systems in countries around the world.However,due to losses in sorting and processing,only 29million tons of recycled plastics re-entered the circularsystem,which means the global recycling rate of plasticwaste in that year was

45、 only 8.22%.Figure 1-3.Plastics Recycling ChainTable 1-2.Global Plastic Waste Collection and Recycling in 2019(Unit:106tons)Plastic wasteCollected forrecyclingRecycling residuesPlastic scrapProcess lossesRecycled plasticsRecycling rate3535522334298.22%Note:Recycling residues are mostly hard to be re

46、cycled and are generally incinerated or landfilled.Figure 1-4.Global Plastics Industry ChainI.Global Plastic Consumption and Plastic Waste Disposal4(2)Global transfer of plastic wasteThe worlds major developed economies have long beenexporting plastic waste to developing countries.By 2016,about120 c

47、ountries had been involved in international trade in plasticwaste.From 1987 to 2017,China imported a total of 170 milliontons of plastic waste,accounting for 72%of the worlds totalexport.In 2017,China announced that it will gradually end the import of plasticwaste and basically stop the import by 20

48、19.Chinas ban on import ofplastic waste and the amendments to the Basel Convention led todramatic changes in the global cross-border trade of plastic waste.Because traditional plastic waste exporting countries have long beendependent on exporting to China,their own plastic recycling capacityhas been

49、 developing slowly.With this huge gap,these countries foundit hard to develop alternative capacity over a short time period,which iswhy they gradually changed their export destinations to Southeast Asiaas well as other parts of the world.In 2019,the worlds major plastic waste exporters were still th

50、eEuropean Union,the United States and Japan,with the export rates at47.15%,38.21%and 42.76%,respectively,all much higher than theirrates of local mechanical recycling of plastic waste.Table 1-3.A Comparison of Rates of Local Mechanical Recycling in China,the EU,the US and Japan in 2019(Unit:104tons)

51、CountryPlastic wasteApparentrecyclingvolumeApparentrecycling rateExportvolumeExport rateLocalmechanicalrecycling ofplastic wasteRate of localmechanicalrecycling of plasticwasteData sourceChina6300189030.00%00.00%189030%China Recycled Plastics IndustryDevelopment ReportThe EU291094632.51%44647.15%500

52、17.2%PlasticsEurope 2020 ReportThe US32372808.65%10738.21%1735.3%Website of U.S.EnvironmentalProtection Agency(epa.gov)Japan850.1185.721.84%79.442.76%106.312.5%Plastic Waste Management Institute(PWMI)Worldwide35300-33009%Organization for EconomicCooperation and Development(OECD)I.Global Plastic Cons

53、umption and Plastic Waste Disposal51.Mechanical recyclingIn 2019,55 million tons of plastic waste entered the recyclingsystem globally.After sorting,only 33 million tons can beprocessed into recycled plastics.With process losses deducted,the global production of recycled plastics was 29 million tons

54、.Limited by existing business models of plastics recycling andthe profitability of the industry,the vast majority of plasticwaste worldwide are converted into recycled plastics throughmechanical recycling.Mechanical recycling does not change thechemical structure of the plastic,instead,it remolds th

55、e plasticbased on its thermoplasticity at a certain temperature.Beingrelatively low-cost,mechanical recycling has a profit marginthat can basically sustain the operation of the plastics recyclingbusiness model.In particular,for higher-quality plastic wastefrom industrial and commercial sources,the c

56、osts of collection,transportation,sorting,cleaning,as well as the level of technicaldifficulties,are relatively low,and the resulting recycled plasticsare often of consistent quality and higher value.Recycling of plastic waste from domestic sources is a major challengeworldwide.The sources are scatt

57、ered,and the plastic wastes usuallycome in a variety of forms and are highly mixed with other wastes,requiring huge collection and sorting costs.Collection rates and local recycling rates with plastic waste were nothigh in major plastics consuming countries and regions in 2019.Amongthem,collection r

58、ates in the European Union(2018),the United States(2018),and Japan were 32.51%,8.65%,and 21.84%,respectively.However,excluding the plastic waste exported to other countries forrecycling,their local recycling rates were only 17.18%,5.34%,and12.50%,respectively.(ii)Global Recycling and Disposal ofPlas

59、tic WasteGlobal collection and recycling of plastic waste haveremained at low rates and cannot meet disposal needs.Consequently,landfilling and incineration of plasticwastehavemaintainedasignificantproportionglobally,which are usually higher than the scale oflocal recycling in most regions.Regions w

60、ith differenteconomic developmentandplastics consumptioncapacity also have varied disposal capacity and routes.Excluding the exported plastic waste,the scale ofmechanical recycling,chemical recycling,landfilling,and incineration varies from region to region.Amongmajor economies,the United States has

61、 the highestlandfilling rate,and Japan has the highest rate ofpower generation by incineration.I.Global Plastic Consumption and Plastic Waste Disposal62.Chemical recyclingAs defined in Plastics Guidelines for the recovery andrecycling of plastics waste(ISO 15270:2008),chemicalrecycling refers to con

62、version to monomer or production of newraw materials by changing the chemical structure of plasticswastethroughcracking,gasificationordepolymerization.Energy recovery or incineration do not fall into the category ofchemical recycling.From a global perspective,chemical recycling is still in itsinfanc

63、y.A few companies in Europe,the United States andChina have begun to explore chemical recycling and haveachievedacertainproductionvolume.Comparedwithmechanical recycling,however,this volume is far from beingcomparable.Chemical recycling helps reduce reliance on virginfossil raw materials and avoids

64、the generation of greenhouse gasemissions from raw material-based production and plastic wasteincineration.A growing number of pilot and demonstrationplants in chemical recycling industry are being built.Chemicalrecycling is an important technical route to address plasticwaste.3.LandfillingLandfilli

65、ng is not a complete disposal of plastic waste.Generally,landfilling shall be safe and sanitary,which meansplastic waste shall be buried in specific landfills that haveanti-seepage measures.Plastic wastes ending up in landfills usually come from daily life andare highly mixed with other wastes.In la

66、ndfills in urban areas,theproportion of plastic waste can generally reach 15%-20%.Landfilledplastic wastes are mainly film-type flexible packaging,as well asvarious rigid containers.Such plastic wastes cannot make their way tocommercial recycling because generally,they are highly contaminatedand low

67、-value,and separating them from other wastes is difficult.Inplaces where garbage classification is implemented,plastic wastes notput into recyclable bins are usually landfilled.Landfilling cannot fundamentally solve the problem of plastic wastedisposal.The degradation cycle of plastic waste is gener

68、ally muchlonger than the service life of landfills.Once the anti-seepage functionof the landfill fails,a large amount of microplastics will seep outthrough precipitation and enter water bodies.The landfilling proportions in major plastics consuming countries andregions were relatively high in 2019.I

69、n the European Union(2018),landfilling proportion reached 24.9%,and the total landfilling was 7.25million tons.The United States had a high landfilling proportion of75.59%,and the total landfilling was 24.47 million tons.Japan had ahigh recycling rate.As non-recycling means,landfilling and directinc

70、ineration totalled 1.246 million tons,a non-recycling rate of 14.66%.4.IncinerationIncineration is a more complete disposal method that has a greatenvironmental impact.It is a one-time use of resources.Therefore,major plastics consuming countries and regions are more focused onenergy recovery throug

71、h incineration,in a bid to improve efficiency ofresource utilization.The European Union sees energy recovery as an important method ofrecycling.In 2018,a total of 12.4 million tons of plastic waste,accounting for 42.6%,were incinerated for power(heat)generation.Inthe United States,5.1 million tons(1

72、5.76%)were incinerated for powergeneration.Japan puts recycling at an important position.In 2019,atotal of 5.131 million tons of plastic waste(accounting for 60.36%)were incinerated for power generation.In 2019,global plastic waste totalled 353 million tons(OECD data).Among them,55 million tons ente

73、red the plastics recycling system(including difficult-to-recycle plastics),with a collection rate ofapproximately 15.58%;67 million tons were incinerated to generateelectric power,with an energy recovery rate of 18.98%;174 milliontons were landfilled,a landfilling rate of 49.29%;up to 82 million ton

74、sweredirectlydiscardedorimproperlydisposedof(includingenvironmental leakage,direct discarding,direct incineration,etc.),animproper disposal rate of 23.23%.These data show that globally speaking,landfilling is still the majormethod to dispose of plastic waste,followed by improper disposal,themain cau

75、se of the existing plastic pollution.Therefore,improving theefficiency of garbage classification and reducing landfilling andimproper disposal should be the main directions in reducing theenvironmental impact of plastic waste at the current stage.7PART 2IIOverview of Plastic Production and PlasticWa

76、ste Disposal in China(i)Plastic Production and Supply inChinaAccording to data from Chinas National Bureau of Statistics(NBS),Chinas virgin plastic production in 2021 was 110.39million tons,a year-on-year increase of 6.6%.Chinese customsdata show that China imported 33.97 million tons of virgin plas

77、ticraw materials in 2021,a year-on-year decrease of 16.39%;supplyof virgin plastic raw materials in China in 2021 was 144.36 milliontons,a year-on-year increase of 0.12%.Supply of virgin plastic rawmaterials in China continued to grow between 2017 and 2021,withan average growth rate of 5.98%in the f

78、ive years.II.Plastic Industry and Plastic Waste Recycling in China8According to NBS statistics,Chinas total production of plastic products in 2021 was 80.04 million tons,a year-on-yearincrease of 5.9%.With the plastic production beyond those by model companies of plastic products included,Chinascons

79、umption of plastic raw materials continues to grow.Figure 2-1.Supply of Virgin Plastic Raw Materials in China in 2017-2021(Unit:104tons)Source:National Bureau of Statistics(NBS);General Administration of Customs of the Peoples Republic of China(GACC)104tonsFigure 2-2 Production of Plastic Products i

80、n China in 2017-2021(Unit:104tons)Source:National Bureau of Statistics(NBS)20172018201920202021DomesticproductionImportsII.Plastic Industry and Plastic Waste Recycling in China9Table 2-1.Disposal of Plastic Waste in China in 2021Method ofdisposalLandfillingIncinerationRecyclingVolume154027601900Sour

81、ce:China Plastics Recycling Association of China National Resources Recycling Association(CPRA)Figure 2-3.Proportions of Methods of Disposal of Plastic Waste in China in 2021Source:China Plastics Recycling Association of China National Resources Recycling Association(CPRA)(ii)Recycling and Disposal

82、of PlasticWaste in ChinaStatisticsandcalculationsfromChinaPlasticsRecyclingAssociatino of CRRA show that in 2021,China generated about62 million tons of plastic waste,in which about 15.4 million tons(25%)were landfilled,about 27.6 million tons(44%)wereincinerated,and about 19 million tons(31%)were r

83、ecycled.LandfillingIncineration for power generationRecyclingII.Plastic Industry and Plastic Waste Recycling in China10Figure 2-4.A Landfill in China1.LandfillingIn 2021,a total of 15.4 million tons of plastic waste,accountingfor 25%of the total plastic waste that year,were landfilled inChina,a sign

84、ificant decrease from the 21 million tons in 2020.In recent years,landfilling of plastic waste in China has beenslowly decreasing because of several reasons.First,landfillsaround cities face increasing land use cost.Second,after Chinastopped importing plastic waste,the gap in supply of recycledplast

85、ics in China has continued to exist,and domestic demandfor raw materials has been rising.Due to this stimulus,sortingcapacity has been improved and the country began to dispose oflow-value recyclables based on their conditions.Third,as Chinais pushing forward a garbage classification system,volume o

86、fhouseholdwasteremovalinsomecitieshasdroppedsignificantly,and supply of recyclables has increased.Fourth,demand from incineration-based power generation companies isrising.2.IncinerationIn 2021,27.6 million tons of plastic waste were incinerated in China forpower generation,up by 25.45%from the 22 m

87、illion tons in 2020.Because the high heat value of plastic waste can help maintain furnacetemperature,incineration and power generation companies have begunto compete with plastics recycling companies for household waste withhigh plastic waste content in recent years.This also led to ayear-by-yearin

88、creaseinplasticwasteincinerationandpowergeneration in China.Figure 2-5.An Incineration Plant in ChinaII.Plastic Industry and Plastic Waste Recycling in China113.Recycling of plastic waste in China(1)Recycling of plastic waste in ChinaStatistics and calculations from China Plastics Recycling Associat

89、ion of CRRA show that in 2021,China recycled about 19million tons of plastic waste,a year-on-year increase of 19%(about 3 million tons)from the 16 million tons in 2020.Thanks to rising prices and increased recycling volume,Chinas plastic waste recycling output reached approximately 105billion yuan i

90、n 2021,a year-on-year increase of 33%from the 79 billion yuan in 2020.Figure 2-6.Volume of Recycling of Plastic Waste in China in 2017-2021(Unit:104tons)Source:China Plastics Recycling Association of China National Resources Recycling Association(CPRA);circulation data from Ministry of Commerce,P.R.

91、CFigure 2-7.Value of Recycling of Plastic Waste in China in 2017-2021(Unit:108yuan)Source:China Plastics Recycling Association of China National Resources Recycling Association(CPRA);circulation data from Ministry of Commerce,P.R.C104tons108yuan20172018201920202021II.Plastic Industry and Plastic Was

92、te Recycling in China12Figure 2-8.Plastic Waste Generated from Various Sectors in China in 2020-2021(Unit:104tons)Source:China Plastics Recycling Association of China National Resources Recycling Association(CPRA)Accordingto statisticsand calculationsof plasticwasterecycling in 2021,plastic waste re

93、cycled from electrical andelectronic products was 1.6 million tons,accounting for 9%;from discarded meal boxes was 250,000 tons,accounting for1%;from automobiles was 1 million tons,accounting for 5%;from PET waste was 5.5 million tons,in which 4 million tonswere from discarded PET bottles,accounting

94、 for 21%,and 1.5million tons were from other types of PET waste,accounting for8%;from agricultural films was 800,000 tons,accounting for4%;from express packaging was 600,000 tons,accounting for3%;fromdiscardedpackagingfilms(excludingexpresspackaging)was 3.6 million tons,accounting for 19%;frominfusi

95、on bottles(bags)was 300,000 tons,accounting for 2%;and from other unidentified sources was 5.35 million tons,accounting for 28%.Figure 2-9.Proportions of Plastic Waste Recycled from VariousSectors in China in 2021Source:China Plastics Recycling Association of China NationalResources Recycling Associ

96、ation(CPRA)OthersUncontaminated infusion bottles and bagsOther packaging filmsExpress packagingAgricultural filmsOther types of PET wasteDiscarded PET bottlesAutomobilesDiscarded meal boxesElectrical and electronic productsAgricultural filmsExpress packagingOther packaging filmsUncontaminated infusi

97、on bottles and bagsOthersElectrical and electronic productsDiscarded meal boxesAutomobilesDiscarded PET bottlesOther types of PET wasteII.Plastic Industry and Plastic Waste Recycling in China13(2)Imports of plastic waste in ChinaGACC data show that total Chinese imports of plastic waste dropped to 5

98、.83 million tons in 2017,to 51,900 tons in2018,and became basically negligible in 2019.From 2020 to 2021,Chinese import of plastic waste was zero.In thenext 3-5 years,it is expected that Chinas imports of plastic waste and scrap will continue to be zero,but imports ofrecycled pellets will remain at

99、a certain level.According to research,China imported about 3.6 million tons of recycledplastic pellets in 2021.Figure 2-10.Imports of Plastic Waste in China in 2017-2021(Unit:104tons)Source:Customs data(3)Processing and utilization of plastic waste in ChinaChinas production of recycled plastics curr

100、ently ranks first inthe world.At present,recycled plastics processing companiesare concentrated in northern,eastern and southern China.Meanwhile,influenced by environmental protection policies,cost issues and the establishment of plastic waste recyclingsystem,processing companies will spread to inla

101、nd areas such ascentral,northwestern,northeastern,and southwestern China.Inrecent years,large-scale recycled plastics processing companiesare more inclined to establish branch factories in central China.Figure 2-11.Geographical Distribution of Processing Capacity inRecycled Plastics in China in 2021

102、Source:China Plastics Recycling Association of China NationalResources Recycling Association(CPRA);publicly available data onthe InternetYangtze RiverDeltaPearl RiverDeltaBohai RimOthersImportsDomestic recycling20172018201920202021II.Plastic Industry and Plastic Waste Recycling in China14In 2021,the

103、 supply of recycled plastic pellets increased as aresult of rising raw material prices and the receding impact ofCovid-19 epidemic.According to statistics and calculationsfrom China Plastics Recycling Association of CRRA,Chinasdomestic production of recycled plastics was about 16.5 milliontons in 20

104、21,an increase of about 2.73 million tons from the13.77 million tons in 2020,up by 19.8%.According to statistics and calculations of the recycling of mainplastic waste products in 2021,the production of recycled PETwas 4.8 million tons,accounting for 29%,which was the mainproduct in recycled plastic

105、s processing in China.The productionof recycled PE pellets was 3.3 million tons,accounting for 20%;that of recycled PP pellets was 3.3 million tons,accounting for20%;recycled polyolefin pellets accounted for 40%;theproduction of recycled PVC pellets was 1.35 million tons,accounting for 8%;that of re

106、cycled ABS pellets was 850,000tons,accounting for 5%;that of recycled PS pellets was 800,000tons,accounting for 5%;that of recycled PC pellets was 450,000tons,accounting for 3%;that of recycled PA pellets was500,000 tons,accounting for 3%;and that of other recycledplastic pellets was 1.15 million to

107、ns,accounting for 7%.Figure 2-12.Recycled Plastic Pellets Processing in China in 2019-2021(Unit:104tons)Source:China Plastics Recycling Association of China NationalResources Recycling Association(CPRA);publicly available data onthe InternetFigure 2-13.Processing of Main Recycled Plastic Products in

108、 China in 2021(Unit:104tons)Source:China Plastics Recycling Association of China National Resources Recycling Association(CPRA);publicly available data on theInternetRecycled PERecycled PCRecycled PVCRecycled PETRecycled PARecycled PPRecycled ABSRecycled PSOthers201920202021II.Plastic Industry and P

109、lastic Waste Recycling in China15Figure 2-14.Proportions of Main Recycled Plastic Pellets in China in 2021Source:China Plastics Recycling Association of China National Resources Recycling Association(CPRA);publicly available data on the Internet(4)Main areas of application of recycled plastics in Ch

110、ina in 2021The downstream uses of recycled plastics in China are generally similar to those of virgin plastics(except forfood-related use).At present,recycled plastics have been widely used in textiles,automobiles,packaging,consumerelectronics,agriculture,construction and building materials,etc.Recy

111、cled general-purpose plastics are most widelyused in the areas of films and injection molding,accounting for 36%and 28%respectively.Their application in blowmolding and pipes has reached 12%.Recycled engineering plastics have been increasingly used in textiles,automobiles,packaging,consumer electron

112、ics,etc.For example,recycled PC is commonly used in home appliances,automobiles,plates,and modification(including alloy)industries;recycled PA is more used in automobile manufacturing,electronicappliances,medical equipment,and textile industries.Figure2-15.DownstreamApplicationofRecycledGeneral-Purp

113、ose Plastics in 2021(Excluding Recycled PET)Source:China Plastics Recycling Association of China NationalResourcesRecyclingAssociation(CPRA);partiallypubliclyavailable dataFigure 2-16.Downstream Application of Recycled PET in 2021Source:China Plastics Recycling Association of China NationalResources

114、 Recycling Association(CPRA);partially publicly availabledataFilmsInjection moldingBlow moldingPipes and profilesThreadingCoating/RotationalmoldingElectric wire and cableOthersRecycled chemical fiberPackaging tapeSheets and platesPET containersOthersRecycled PERecycled PETRecycled ABSRecycled PCRecy

115、cled PARecycled PSRecycled PVCRecycled PPOthersII.Plastic Industry and Plastic Waste Recycling in China16(5)Development history of recycled plastics industry in ChinaUnderstanding and start of recycling(1984-1994):Before 1984,only a few state-ownedenterprises and collectively-owned enterprises were

116、engaged in recycling.After 1984,with the rapid development of self-employed businesses,China faced a growing demandfor plastic resources and an increasing volume of discarded plastics,hence the gradualdevelopment of plastic waste recycling and processing industry.Development and improvement(1994-200

117、4):This stage is a golden period for therecycling of plastic waste,as tens of thousands of family workshops entered thisindustry.Recycling rate grew from less than 22.6%to 30%and even higher(recyclingrates of some products reached 60%-80%).Maturity and competition(2005-2007):During this stage,compet

118、ition in the industrybecame fierce.Large-scale companies emerged,and problems gradually stood out.Meanwhile,local plastic waste resources could barely meet domestic market demand,andthe supply of imported plastic waste continued to grow during this period.Adjustment and plateauing(2008-2013):After 2

119、008,environmental protection-orientedrectification became normalized,and for a long time,many recycled plastics processingmarkets in China were under rectification or shutdown.In 2013,rectification of recycledplastics industry covered the entire China.At this time,a consensus was reached onstructura

120、l upgrading such as industry technology upgrade and environment-friendlydevelopment,and Chinas recycled plastics industry officially entered a stage oftransformation and upgrading.Transformation and upgrading(2014-2017):After the Operation Green Fence tocombat smuggling of overseas waste in 2013,the

121、 shutdown or rectification of recycledplastics distribution centers became normalized in China.At this stage,stimulated byenvironmental concerns,Chinese companies stopped operations and began to go throughtransformation and upgrading,or to move abroad,marking the start of a comprehensivetransformati

122、on and upgrading of the industry.Green development(2018-into the future,a new era of environmental protection):Chinaofficially introduced the ban on waste in July 2017,and further upgraded its policy in2018,hence a significant drop in imports of plastic waste.At the same time,Chinaactively guided lo

123、cal recycling,and Chinas plastic waste recycling companies came backto their function of disposing of solid plastic waste with an obvious environmental focus,starting a new chapter in recycled plastics industry.As Chinas recycled plastics industry officially entered a new stage of green developmenta

124、nd has been marching forward under the guidance of a number of policies,how to betterbalance environmental protection and industry development,and how to better solve theexisting environmental problems such as plastic pollution and piled garbage surroundingcities,have become a major challenge for th

125、e recycled plastics industry in China.Green development2018-into the futureTransformation andupgrading2014-2017Adjustment and plateauing2008-2013Maturity and competition2005-2007Development and improvement1995-2004Understanding and start of recycling1984-1994Figure 2-17.Development History of Recycl

126、ed Plastics Industry in China17PART 3IIIOverview of Plastic Pollution Preventionand Control in Chinese CitiesImproperlydisposedof,alldiscardedplasticproductscancausepollution.Incities,theconsumption of plastics is massive and concentrated,so is the discarding of the plastics.This requirescities to e

127、nhance their waste disposal capacity.Plastic wastes in cities are mainly from domesticsources,but they can also include wastes fromcommercial institutions(e.g.,supermarkets)andwastesfromindustrialsources.Amongthem,packaging plastics in film form are most common.Inaddition,most of the express packagi

128、ng and mealboxes used in the express and takeaway industriesare scrapped in communities,and plastic wastes fromdiscarded household appliances,automobiles,andbuilding materials are basically disposed of throughrecycling system instead of environmental healthsystem because of easy classification.III.P

129、lastic Pollution Prevention and Control in Chinese Cities18As previously mentioned,recycling,landfilling,and incineration for power generation are,up to today,the main methods to dispose of plasticwaste and solve plastic pollution problems in urban areas.Figure 3-1.Plastic Waste Recycling Chain in C

130、hinaIII.Overview of Plastic Pollution Prevention andControl in Chinese CitiesCrude oilRefined plasticsConsumer marketFuelMechanical recyclingIndustrialsourceplasticwasteLandPlastic waste processing anddistribution centerOceanChemical recyclingIncinerationLandfillingCommercialsourceplastic wasteDomes

131、ticsourceplasticwastePlastic products plantIII.Plastic Pollution Prevention and Control in Chinese Cities19(i)Overview of Plastic Pollution in Cities1.Nature of plastic pollutionOnce leaked into the natural environment,plastic waste willneed hundreds or even thousands of years to completely degraden

132、aturally,which will have long-term adverse effects on theglobal soil environment,water ecology and environment,climate change,biodiversity,etc.As an important basic materialin contemporary society,plastic brings great convenience topeoples daily lives.It is not a pollutant in itself,and the natureof

133、 plastic pollution is environmental leakage caused by poormanagement of plastic waste.The serious plastic pollution todayis a result of long-term accumulation in history.2.Main manifestations of plastic pollutionVisual pollution:Visual pollution by plastics refers to damage to urbanappearance and na

134、tural landscapes,caused by plastic waste scattered inthe environment.Some light and thin plastic products and packaging,such as plastic bags,plastic films,and waste agricultural films,areeasily blown up by the wind,floating in the air or hanging on treebranches.They appear in some tourist attraction

135、s and on both sides ofthe road,forming white pollution.Water pollution:Water pollution by plastics refers to the phenomenonthat plastic waste enters rivers,lakes,and oceans through variouschannels due to poor management and affects water ecology andenvironment.Water pollution by plastics mainly incl

136、udes land-basedpollution and sea-based pollution.Land-based pollution is mainlycaused by plastic waste entering various types of water bodies eitherdirectly or as microplastics;sea-based pollution is caused when fishinggears from fishery and mariculture,marine equipment and garbage fromshipping and

137、offshore operations,as well as various plastic productscarried by tourists,are discarded into the sea.Plastic pollution in waterbodies is more hidden than plastic pollution in soil,and its impacts aremore widespread.III.Plastic Pollution Prevention and Control in Chinese Cities20Soil pollution:Compa

138、red with visual pollution,plastic pollutionin soil is much more hidden.Soil pollution by plastics occurswhen plastics are mixed into the soil in the form of plasticfragments or microplastics,causing changes to the soil in termsof its original properties and conditions,such as worsened soilpermeabili

139、ty and reduced fertility.Plastic pollution in soilmainly comes from plastic waste,tire wear particles in roadrunoffs,and randomly discarded agricultural materials such asagricultural mulch films and pesticide packaging.In addition,the use of livestock and poultry manure and sludge containingmicropla

140、stics for composting,and the use of sewage containingmicroplastics for irrigation will also bring microplastics into thesoil.Microplastic pollution:Microplastic pollution not only causes seriousdamage to our ecology and environment,but may also threaten humanhealth.Microplastics leaked into the envi

141、ronment are easily absorbedby plants,and are accidentally eaten by fish and small animals,thusentering the food chain.They are passed through the food chain andgradually concentrate at all levels till they enter the human body.Inaddition,plastic microbeads are widely used in daily toiletries such as

142、toothpaste and shower gel,and some microplastics can be directlyingested by the human body.Some studies even believe that ingestedmicroplastics will enter the human bodys circulatory system and reachspecifictissues,possiblycausingoxidativestress,inflammatoryreaction,metabolic disorders,etc.,and even

143、 affecting the expressionand inheritance of DNA information.Increased greenhouse gas emissions:Plastic products are convertedfrom chemicals and fossil fuels,which means greenhouse gases will begenerated in their entire life cycle,including production,circulation,consumption,disposal and utilization.

144、During plastics production,carbon from fossil fuels is transferred into the plastics.If these plasticsare degraded,landfilled or even incinerated after being discarded,theywill be slowly released in the form of greenhouse gases such as carbondioxide and methane,adding pressure to the reduction of gr

145、eenhousegas emissions.III.Plastic Pollution Prevention and Control in Chinese Cities211.Implementation of garbage classification systemGarbage classification is a policy that directly serves garbage removal and recycling.It refers to a series of activities that classify,store,dump and transport garb

146、ageaccording to certain rules or standards,thereby transforming the garbage into publicresources.Garbage is classified for two purposes:to reduce environmental pollution and avoidenvironmental health problems;to increase the resource value and economic valueof garbage for optimal utilization.Many co

147、untries in theworld,especially Japan,had implemented garbageclassification system before China did.China piloted garbage classification first inShanghai and gradually promoted it in major Chinese cities.In March 2017,theGeneral Office of the State Council forwarded the Implementation Plan forDomesti

148、c Waste Classification System issued by the National Development andReform Commission and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development,ina bid to deploy and promote domestic waste classification.In June 2019,ninedepartments including the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Developmentissuedth

149、e Notice on Comprehensively Carrying out Domestic Waste Classification inCities at Prefecture Level and Above,planning that beginning from 2019,such citiesnationwide will fully start domestic waste classification,that by the end of 2020,46key cities will have basically completed garbage classificati

150、on and disposal system,and that by the end of 2025,such cities nationwide will have basically establishedgarbage classification and disposal system.(ii)Urban Plastic Pollution Prevention andControl System and MechanismPrevention and control of plastic pollution in cities requires asystematic operati

151、ng mechanism.Operating mechanism refers tolaws,regulations and business models developed for environmentalhealth department and recycling industry,the main actors inpreventing and controlling plastic pollution.III.Plastic Pollution Prevention and Control in Chinese Cities222.Operating model of plast

152、ic waste recyclingin citiesRecycling is the most economical and reasonable disposalmethod to solve the problem of plastic pollution.Plasticsrecycling can reduce environmental carbon footprintwhilekeepingcarboncomingfrompetrochemicalresources in the circular system.Cities in China have arelatively so

153、und recycling system.Plastic is a veryimportant component in the recycling system.Based onprocedures,Chinas plastics recycling can be divided intofront-end collection and back-end processing,with sortingas the dividing line.Front-end collection is completedwithin urban areas and can be roughly divid

154、ed into threemodels,which are(1)market-driven,spontaneous anddecentralized collection;(2)company-led centralizedcollection;(3)government-businesscollaboratedcollection.(1)Market-driven,spontaneous and decentralized collectionMarket-driven,spontaneous and decentralized collection isusually done by pr

155、ofessional scavengers,cleaners,communitywaste station operators,middlemen,private transfer stations,packaging station operators,and unlicensed waste processors.This model is spontaneous and driven by economic benefits.It iscommonly seen in various regions of China and has long beencoexisting with ot

156、her collection models.According to statistics,across China,about 800,000 individualsare involved in plastics collection.In places where garbageclassification is not implemented,individual collection is one ofthe main forces in plastic waste collection.In places withgarbage classification,market shar

157、e occupied by individualcollection is usually related to the implementation method andextent of the local garbage classification system.Even in placeswithverystrictgarbageclassificationsystem,individualcollection still takes up a considerable market share.Individual collection does not need to be ba

158、sed on a garbageclassification system.This model will continue to exist as longasfront-endcollectorscangetdemandfromback-endprocessors,as long as the local concentration level of plasticwaste is high enough,and as long as the profit margin issufficient to sustain commercial operation.III.Plastic Pol

159、lution Prevention and Control in Chinese Cities23(2)Company-led centralized collectionCompany-led centralized collection is a derivative model basedon individual spontaneous collection.It is the result of theintegration of front-end collectors by recycling companies.Thein-depth participation of comp

160、anies promotes the construction ofurban recycling infrastructure.For example,the recyclinginfrastructure for takeaway boxes includes classified trash bins(forlow-valuerecyclables),communitystations(transferstations),packaging stations,regional sorting centers,etc.Inaddition,market-based operation ha

161、s greatly promoted thediversification anddigitization ofrecycling services.Forexample,companiesmayprovidedoor-to-doorcollectionservices,or use automated equipment to provide services.Bigdata management centers are built to record logistics data ofvarious procedures such as front-end collection,trans

162、fer station,and sorting center,with waste removal and transportationcapacity ready to be deployed at any time,achieving traceabilityof collected materials and transparent transaction throughout theprocess.(3)Government-business collaborated collectionGovernment-business collaborated collection is a

163、model inwhich urban environmental health system works with companiesto share front-end collection network.This model can savecompanies the cost of building and operating infrastructure forfront-end collection,and also saves environmental health systema certain amount of cost in disposing of solid wa

164、ste.It is awin-win model.This model is driven by local policies.Likespontaneous collection by companies,collaborated collectionalso relies heavily on a successful and effective garbageclassification system.Residents need to correctly classify theirgarbage before dumping.If a large volume of other ty

165、pes ofgarbage are mixed with recyclables,the following sorting willbe very difficult.Since the implementation of garbage classification,many citiesin China have begun to pay attention to the recycling oflow-value recyclables and have been developing dedicatedrecycling channel for low-value recyclabl

166、es by promotingcooperation between government and companies.This practicehas appeared in cities such as Shanghai and Hangzhou,and has avery obvious impact on the public although it is not yetlarge-scale operation.3.Building Zero Waste CitiesZero Waste City is an urban development model that is guide

167、d by thenew concepts of innovation,coordination,green development,openingup and sharing.It aims to minimize the environmental impacts of solidwaste by promoting green development and green lifestyle,continuingto reduce and recycle solid waste,and minimizing landfilling.It is alsoan advanced urban ma

168、nagement concept.Zero Waste Cities have thefollowing tasks.First,they shall strengthen top-level guiding design andgive play to the governments macro-guidance function.Second,theyshall implement industrial green production,and strive for zero growthin the total volume of storage and disposal of bulk

169、 industrial solidwastes.Third,they shall promote agricultural green production and fullreuse of major agricultural wastes.Fourth,they shall practice a greenlifestyle and promote the reduction and recycling of domestic wastes.Fifth,they shall improve risk prevention and control capabilities andstreng

170、then comprehensive safety management of hazardous wastes.Sixth,they shall incentivize the vitality of market entities and fosternew models of industrial development.On December 29,2018,the General Office of the State Council issuedthe Work Plan for Building Pilot Zero Waste Cities.On April 30,2019,t

171、he Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China announced 11 citiesand 5 special districts as pilot areas of Zero Waste Cities.On December10,2021,the Ministry of Ecology and Environment,together with 17departments and units,including the National Development and ReformCommission,the Ministry of Indu

172、stry and Information Technology,andthe Ministry of Finance,issued the Work Plan for Building Zero WasteCities during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period.The Plan clearly statesthat during the 14th Five-Year Plan period,efforts will be made to driveabout 100 cities at prefecture level and above to build t

173、hemselves intoZero Waste Cities.It also states that by 2025,the generation of solidwaste in Zero Waste Cities will rapidly decrease in intensity,thecomprehensive utilization level will be significantly improved,safedisposal capacity will be effectively guaranteed,synergistic reduction ofpollution an

174、d carbon emissions will fully work out,solid wastemanagement information will be basically integrated,the concept ofzero waste will be widely accepted,and solid waste managementsystem and capabilities will be significantly improved.On April 24,2022,the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced t

175、he list forbuilding Zero Waste Cities during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.24PART 4IVPublic Engagement in Plastic PollutionControl and Sustainable Consumption inChinaGuiding the public towards a reasonable consumer behavior is akey part of plastic pollution control.Consumer behavior is themost diff

176、icult to regulate,and irrational consumption has thegreatest impact on plastic pollution.China has always attachedgreat importance to controlling plastic pollution by guidingconsumer behavior.At a government level,China sets carbonpeaking and carbon neutrality-oriented economy as a nationalstrategy

177、and has formulated relevant laws and regulations.It hasrevised the Law of the Peoples Republic of China on thePrevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by SolidWaste,and issued the Implementation Plan for Promoting GreenConsumption and other regulations and policies to constrainconsumer beha

178、vior and manage consumption results.At a sociallevel,social organizations have developed industry norms andlabels to provide guidelines for sustainable consumer behavior;non-governmental organizations,publicity and education centers,and various public welfare activities are mobilized to improvepubli

179、c awareness of the hazards of plastic pollution throughpublicity,education,and demonstration,so that the public willreduceunnecessaryconsumptionofplasticsandactivelyparticipate in garbage classification and plastics recycling.IV.Sustainable Consumption by Chinese People251.Moderately restrained cons

180、umptionThe purpose is to reduce the generation of non-recyclable wastes.Moderately restrained consumption includes reducing repeatedconsumption and refraining from unnecessary consumption.It means living within your means and consuming in moderation.On the one hand,consumer spending should be compat

181、ible withtheir own income,which includes the current income level andfuture income expectations.Consumers need to consider thedynamic factor of money-making capability;on the other hand,active and reasonable consumption within ones own financialcapacity should be promoted instead of being restrained

182、.Consumers need to avoid following others blindly and buyrationally.They should try not to be influenced by unhealthyconsumer psychology,and stick to rational buying based on theiractual needs.Greenconsumptionshouldbepromotedtoprotecttheenvironment.Green consumption refers to various consumerbehavio

183、rs that are aimed at protecting consumer health and savingresources and comply with human health and environmentalprotection standards.The core is sustainable consumption.Consumers should uphold the spirit of diligence,thrift,and hardwork.Diligence,thrift,and hard work are the traditional virtues of

184、the Chinese nation.They are a national spirit rather than a specificconsumer behavior,and this spirit never goes out of style.2.Low-carbon consumptionLots of young people are aware of the fact that carbon emissions causeglobal warming,but as consumers,they are not so aware oflow-carbon consumption o

185、r sustainable consumption.Low-carbonconsumption means guiding consumers to adopt a low-carbon lifestylein food,clothing,housing and transportation.When it comes toplastics,it means consumers should reuse packaging,use simpleplastic packaging,and use recycled plastic products.Residents are end users

186、of products and services,and both their directand indirect consumption can have an important impact on carbonemissions.The improvement of residents living standard is directlyrelated to the total energy and material consumption.Decouplingliving quality improvement from the increase in carbon emissio

187、ns iscurrently one of the keys to address climate change.Whether thepublichavealow-carbonvalueorientationandconsumptionpreference will largely affect the formation of green production-endoperations and supply chains.Therefore,improving low-carbonconsumption capabilities on the demand side will contr

188、ibute tolow-carbon development on the supply side.(i)AwarenessofSustainableConsumptionSustainable consumption means consumers have theawareness and action not to consume resources orenergy in an unrestrained manner;it takes placewhenconsumersreducetheconsumptionofsingle-use and non-recyclable goods

189、and materials;it is environment-friendly and safe;it can contributeto low carbon emissions and quantifiable carbonemissionsintheproductionprocess;itisconsumption that is moderately restrained.Awareness of sustainable consumption can bemanifested at four levels.IV.Sustainable Consumption by Chinese P

190、eople26(1)Low-carbon consumption can directly reduce carbonemissions.Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up,with theaccelerationofChinasindustrializationandurbanization,tremendous changes have taken place in consumption.Totalconsumption has continued to expand,becoming the first drivingforc

191、e for economic growth.As Chinas per capita carbon emissionsand per capita residents consumption-caused carbon emissionscontinuetoincrease,effectivelyguidingresidentstowardslow-carbon consumption and lifestyle has become an urgent issuein response to climate change and in promoting ecologicalprogress

192、.The Paris Agreement sets a target to keep the globalaverage temperature rise to less than 2 degrees Celsius abovepre-industrial levels,sending a clear signal for a global green andlow-carbon transformation.China has led international cooperationon climate change and is an important participant,cont

193、ributor,andleader in promoting ecological progress globally.Addressingclimate change is an inherent requirement for China to promoteecological progress,and also a due responsibility for China as aresponsible major country.Research shows that in 2017,carbondioxide emissions directly caused by Chinas

194、urban residents were270 million tons,and that by Chinas rural residents were 289million tons.It is predicted that carbon dioxide emissions directlycaused by Chinas urban and rural residents will reach a peak of673 million tons by 2037 and will then slowly decline,with directcarbon emissions still at

195、 441 million tons by 2050.Transformingto low-carbon consumption will effectively reduce direct carbonemissionsduetoresidentslifestylesandmakeadirectcontributiontoChinasintendednationallydeterminedcontributions(INDCs).(2)Low-carbonconsumptioncaneffectivelypromotelow-carbon production and green transf

196、ormation of thesociety.Atpresent,consumptionhasbecomeanimportantaspectrestricting the overall green transformation of Chinas economy.Research shows that carbon dioxide emissions indirectly caused byurban and rural residents were about 4.15 billion tons in 2017,which will increase to about 5 billion

197、tons in 2030 and will thengradually decline to 3.22 billion tons in 2050.Green andlow-carbonconsumptioncanforcegreentransformationinproduction through price mechanisms,competition mechanisms,information transmission,and coexistence mechanisms.Changesin consumer values and behaviors will indirectly p

198、romote the greentransformation of production,thus creating a huge driving force forthe green transformation of the entire society.(3)Low-carbon consumption helps enhance environmentalliteracy among residents.Residents consumption in China is upgrading,characterized byconsumption in housing and autom

199、obiles.The rapid improvementof peoples living standard has led to a rapid increase in dailyenergy consumption.In the existing research on low-carbondevelopment policies,there is increasing concern about carbonemissions from residents consumption.Carbon emissions fromconsumptionhavebecomeakeyareaofpo

200、licyandmanagement innovation in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.It is imperative to incorporate low-carbon consumption intogovernmentdecision-makingandformulatelow-carbonconsumption strategy and action plan in line with Chinas nationalconditions.Through innovation in consumption concepts andch

201、anges in consumption patterns,China can guide a transformationfrom incremental to high-quality consumption,and strive to meetpeoples growing demand for a better life with lower carbonemission levels.3.Healthyandenvironment-friendlyconsumptionInhealthyandenvironment-friendlyconsumption,wasteclassific

202、ation and processing are encouraged,the environmentis not damaged due to consumption,consumer products that donot produce harmful waste are used,and supply of natural andorganic consumer products is increased.Garbage classification is not a trivial matter.It not only relatesto peoples daily life,but

203、 also conforms to the concept ofpromoting ecological progress.In recent years,with economicandsocialdevelopmentandsignificantlyimprovedconsumption levels,garbage generation in China has increasedrapidly.This not only caused a waste of resources,but alsomade environmental hazards increasingly promine

204、nt.It hasbecomeaconstraintonthesustainableandhealthydevelopment of the economy and society,and a strong concernamong the people.Following the principles of waste reduction,recycling,and safe disposal,implementing waste classificationandprocessing,andguidingpeopletofollowgreendevelopment and lifestyl

205、e can effectively improve the urbanand rural environment,promote resource recycling,and isconducive to the enhancement of peoples awareness and socialprogress.Garbage classification is not an easy task.It requires strongerscientific management,long-term mechanism,and fostering ofhabit.In recent year

206、s,top-level design of garbage classificationhas been continuously improved and garbage classification hasbeen pushed forward with increasing efforts.The promotion ofthis practice has rendered initial results.Starting this year,cities at prefecture level and above across the country havefully started

207、 domestic waste classification,achieving positiveprogress.However,it should be noted that in general,garbageclassification still has a very limited coverage,separatecollection,transportation and disposal facilities are still to bedeveloped,and public understanding and awareness are stillinadequate.T

208、o further advance garbage classification,Chinashould follow the important instructions of President Xi Jinpingto strengthen guidance,adapt measures to local conditions,andtake concrete actions in a continued manner.Garbage classification is not a one-person job.It requireseveryone to work together t

209、o improve the living environmentand contribute to green and sustainable development.It is asystematicprojectthatinvolvesgovernment,businesses,communities,residents and other stakeholders.It includesmultipleproceduressuchasdumping,collection,transportation,and disposal,and needs to be pushed forwardj

210、ointly.To advance garbage classification,China needs tofollow the important instructions of President Xi Jinping tocarry out extensive campaigns to educate and guide the publictounderstandtheimportanceandnecessityof garbageclassification,and prompt more people to take action and fosterthe good habit

211、 through effective supervision and guidance.Just like a journey of a thousand miles begins with a singlestep,promoting the formation of green development andlifestyle is a profound revolution to development concepts.IV.Sustainable Consumption by Chinese People274.Circular consumptionThis approach pu

212、ts special emphasis on not using disposableproducts and reducing the consumption of plastic products,which means reducing endless demands for resources andenergy.(1)Green catering has become a trendTakeaway platforms and catering companies actively promotegreen catering.Meituan Takeaway,online takea

213、way platform,has set quantity of tableware as a required item users have tofill in before placing orders.From July 2019 to July 2020,orders marked as no tableware required increased by 203%year on year.In addition,to help users order based on demandandwithprecision,MeituanTakeawayhasrolledoutdiversi

214、fiedsmall-portionmealsandstandardizeddishinformation descriptions.As of now,74.64%of the dishes onsale on this platform have portion information,and 85.59%ofonlinemerchantshavedisheswithportioninformationindicated in their stores.(2)Simple packaging has become a consensusNowadays,more and more consu

215、mers have realized that whileenjoying takeaway and express services,they should also payattention to and solve problems such as excessive packaging,increased garbage volume,and difficulty in classifying andrecycling cartons,plastic bags,and fillers.The key to solve the problem of express waste recyc

216、ling is toreduce the volume of express packaging from the source,saidLing Yunfei,deputy director of Suning Logistics ResearchInstitute.Suning Logistics has rolled out a Qingcheng Plan tovigorously promote green packaging and to further reduce thewasting of and pollution by express packaging by reduc

217、ing thewidth of tapes,popularizing electronic waybills,and usingdelivery boxes and insulation cases in a circular manner.Sustainable consumption is in line with the 3R principles(i.e.reduction,reuse,recycling)and is a sustainable fashion.Thismeans guiding consumers to pay more attention to thesustai

218、nable attributes of products,focus on choosing naturaland innovative materials,and strike a balance between ethicalrequirements and their own needs.In China,carbon peaking and carbon neutrality targets havebecome a national strategy,and sustainable consumption is thegeneraltrend.Chinaseconomyischang

219、ingtowardshigh-qualitydevelopment.Theconceptofsustainableconsumption is consistent with high-quality development ofindustries,especially in terms of circular,recyclable,andenvironmentally sound consumption.China strives to peakcarbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutralitybefore 2060.Sus

220、tainable consumption will have a significant impact onpeoples daily lives,such as food,clothing,consumption,andtransportation.At the same time,it can also bring new businessopportunities to merchants dealing in consumer products suchas food and beverages,personal care,and household cleaners,as well

221、as packaging and logistics in their value chain.IV.Sustainable Consumption by Chinese People28(ii)Green ProcurementGreenprocurementmeanscompaniespromotegreenandlow-carbon concepts in procurement activities.They would fullyconsider environmental protection,resource conservation,safety,health,low-carb

222、on circular development and recycling,and givepriority to the purchase and use of energy-saving,water-saving,material-saving raw materials,products and services that can helpprotect the environment.Green procurement in government departments is an importantpart of public finance.Public finance aims

223、at and focuses onmeeting public needs,and energy conservation,consumptionreduction,and environmental protection are such public needs thatcan reflect the overall interests of the entire society.Therefore,supporting environmental protection and purchasing energy-savingand consumption-reducing product

224、s are important functions ofpublic finance.On November 16,2021,the National Government OfficesAdministration,theNationalDevelopmentandReformCommission,the Ministry of Finance,and the Ministry of Ecologyand Environment jointly issued the Implementation Plan forDeepening Green and Low-Carbon Actions b

225、y Public Institutionsto Promote Carbon Peaking.According to the Plan,by 2025,thetotal annual energy consumption of public institutions nationwidewill be controlled within 189 million tons of standard coalequivalent,and the total carbon dioxide emissions will becontrolled within 400 million tons;on t

226、he basis of 2020,the energyconsumption per unit building area will decrease by 5%,and thecarbon emissions will decrease by 7%;before 2025,publicinstitutions in regions with corresponding capabilities will peakcarbon emissions,and before 2030,public institutions nationwidewill peak carbon emissions a

227、s early as possible.More than 80%of public institutions at county level and above willstrive to meet the requirements for conservation-minded institutions,2,000conservation-mindedpublicinstitutionswillbecomedemonstration units,200 public institutions will be selected as energyefficiency leaders,and

228、300 public institutions will become green andlow-carbon demonstration units.To this end,the Plan proposes five major measures,which includeaccelerating green and low-carbon transformation of energy use,improving green and low-carbon operation of buildings,promotinguse of products with green and low-

229、carbon technologies,carrying outgreen and low-carbon demonstration projects and related publicity,and strengthening management capacity building for green andlow-carbon development.According to China Public Procurement Development Report(2021),green procurement received more attention.In recent year

230、s,greenprocurement and sustainable development have continued to drawattention,and China has been continuously implementing greenprocurement through concrete actions.First,public institutions andstate-owned enterprises vigorously promote green and low-carbonconcepts in procurement activities,fully c

231、onsider environmentalprotection,resource conservation,low-carbon circular developmentand recycling,and give priority to the purchase and use ofenergy-saving,water-saving,material-saving raw materials,productsand services that can help protect the environment.Second,electronicprocurement platforms ar

232、e utilized to achieve a green and low-carbonprocurement process through paperless operation and remote tenderopening and evaluation.Third,the concept of green supply chain ishighlighted.Government procurement standards are formulated forcommodity packaging and express packaging,and in engineeringpro

233、curement,environment-friendlyandconvenientprefabricatedbuildings are vigorously promoted to achieve low carbon emissions inthe entire process of procurement,production,transportation,storage,use,and scrapping.IV.Sustainable Consumption by Chinese People29(iii)Green LabelsGreen labels are specific ma

234、rks issued by government departments,public or industry organizations to relevant parties in accordance withcertain environmental standards.They are printed on the certifiedproducts to prove to consumers that the products comply with greenstandards and sustainable development concepts from their res

235、earch anddevelopment to production,transportation,sale,use,and recycling.1.Green product certification and labellingOn November 22,2016,the General Office of the State Council issuedthe Opinions on Establishing a Unified Green Product Standard,Certification,and Labelling System(hereinafter referred

236、to as theOpinions),opening a new chapter in the evaluation and certificationsystem for green products.The Opinions states that establishing aunified green product standard,certification,and labelling system is amust to promote green and low-carbon circular development and build agreen market;it is a

237、n important measure to strengthen supply-sidestructural reform and improve the quality and efficiency of green productsupply;it is an urgent task in guiding industrial transformation andupgrading and improving the competitiveness of Chinas manufacturing;it is an effective approach to lead green cons

238、umption,protect andimprove peoples livelihood,and is required to actually fulfill Chinasinternational emission reduction commitments and enhance the countrysinstitutional voice in global governance.Green products refer to products that meet environmental requirementsthroughout their life cycle.They

239、are harmless or less harmful to theecological environment and human health,consume less resources andenergy,and are of high quality.The basic label for green products is CGP,standing for China GreenProduct,based on which derived the full-green and half-green labels.2.ProductcertificationbyChinaEnvir

240、onmentalLabellingEnvironmental labels are put on a product or its packaging.It is acertification trademark of the product.It indicates that this product haspassed quality inspection and also have environmental advantagescomparedtosimilarproducts,astheycomplywithspecificenvironmental requirements dur

241、ing production,use,and disposal and aretherefore less harmful and more resource-saving.The implementation of environmental labelling is essentially a fulllife-cycle(also known as from cradle to cradle)control of theenvironmental behavior of the products during their design,production,use,discarding,

242、disposal,and recycling.Such certification is conductedby state-designated institutions or non-governmental organizations inaccordance with environmental standard of products(also known astechnicalrequirements)andrelevantregulations.Itassessestheenvironmental performance and production process of the

243、 products,anduses logos and patterns to show to consumers which products meetenvironmental requirements and are more beneficial to the ecologicalenvironment.The pattern of China Environmental Labelling has mountain,water andthe sun at the center to represent the environment that human beingsdepend o

244、n,as well as ten linked circles in the surrounding space torepresent public participation and joint protection of the environment.Itmeans that all people are united to jointly protect the environment onwhich mankind depends for survival.This certification has clear technical requirements for product

245、s and clear rules on various productindicators and testing methods.Basic LabelHalf-green LabelChina Green ProductFigure 4-1.Green Product Certification and LabellingLogo ofCertificationBodyLogo ofCertificationBodyFull-green LabelFigure 4-2.Product Certification by China Environmental LabellingIV.Sus

246、tainable Consumption by Chinese People303.Plastics recycling labelling(1)Recycling labels for plastic packaging productsPlastics recycling labels are special marks that directly tell consumers whether plasticproducts and packaging can be recycled.China has implemented the marks for plastic materials

247、 as required in its nationalstandard GB/T 16288 Marking for plastic packing products recycling as early as1996.The plastic products recycling labels were developed in 1988 by the Society of thePlastics Industry(now renamed Plastics Industry Association)of the United States.This set of labels with pl

248、astic material identification codes(from 1 to 7)are put oncontainers or packaging,saving the public the trouble to learn the similarities anddifferences of various plastic materials and making recycling an easy task.Usually onits bottom,each plastic container has a small identifier-a triangular mark

249、.Inside thetriangle are numbers 1 to 7,with each number representing a type of plastic container.These plastic containers are made of different materials and are subject to differentrestrictions in use.(2)Labels for plastic products that are easy-to-collect and easy-to-regenerateCircular use of plas

250、tic waste starts with recycling.However,in order to meet publicconsumption needs and product innovation,designs of many plastic products arediverse and complicated in terms of materials,colors,labels and even shapes,whichgreatly affects recycling efficiency,quality,and recycling rate.In order to fur

251、ther increase the recycling rate of plastic waste,in June 2020,initiatedby China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation(CPCIF)and China NationalResources Recycling Association(CRRA),16 leading companies upstream anddownstream of the plastics industry chain jointly established the Green RecycledP

252、lastic Supply Chain Joint Working Group(GRPG).GRPG will focus on building a3+1 standard system to guide the recycled plastics supply chain,in which the DoubleE Design standard(easy to collect and easy to regenerate)is an importantcomponent.GRPG has set up a standards working group to collect and sor

253、t outinformation related to plastics recycling industry at home and abroad,and to carry outthe drafting work of the Double E Design standard.On January 18,2021,GRPGreleasedtheGeneralGuidelinesfortheEvaluationofPlasticProductsEasy-to-Collect&Easy-to-Regenerate Design.In July 2021,it released four rul

254、esincluding the Implementation Rules for theEvaluation of Plastic ProductsEasy-to-Collect&Easy-to-Regenerate Design-Single-use Plastic PackagingContainers for Takeaways(for Trial Implementation),Implementation Rules for theEvaluation of Plastic Products Easy-to-Collect&Easy-to-Regenerate Design-Dair

255、yPackaging(for Trial Implementation),Implementation Rules for the Evaluation ofPlastic Products Easy-to-Collect&Easy-to-Regenerate Design-Daily ChemicalProducts Packaging(for Trial Implementation),and Implementation Rules for theEvaluation of Plastic Products Easy-to-Collect&Easy-to-Regenerate Desig

256、n-BeveragePackagingContainers(forTrialImplementation).Italsoissuedeasy-to-collect and easy-to-regenerate labels(Double E Labels)for plastic productsand carried out related certification work.Products and packaging printed with these labels have been certified by Double Eevaluation and meet the Doubl

257、e E standard.OthersFigure 4-3.Plastics Recycling LabellingLabel of ExcellenceComplete PatternLabel of ExcellenceSimplified PatternLabel of ConformityComplete PatternLabel ofConformitySimplified PatternFigure 4-4.Double E Labelling31PART5.ConclusionPlastic is an excellent material.It is used in many

258、areastoensurefoodsafety,promotegrainproduction,manufacture logistics containers,reduce social operatingcosts,and make daily life more convenient,proven to bea widely applicable,highly reliable and affordablematerial.Per capita consumption of plastics also reflectsthe economic development level of a

259、country.The hugeconsumption of plastics will generate a massive volumeof plastic wastes,but not all plastic wastes will causepollution.The root cause of plastic pollution lies not inthe increase in plastic consumption or waste,but whetherplastics have been properly recycled and disposed ofafter bein

260、g discarded.Plastic pollution is caused byplastic waste leaking into the environment.Therefore,weshould see plastic pollution scientifically and rationally,actively and effectively control environmental leakage,build a scientific and precise waste management system,properly manage and control plasti

261、c waste,and increaserecycling rate.This will fundamentally solve the problemof plastic pollution,provide resources to meet the needsof the society,and reduce carbon emissions at the sametime.32References1China Recycled Plastics Industry Development Report 2021-2022,China Plastics Recycling Associati

262、on of ChinaNational Resources Recycling Association(CPRA),2022.2Global Plastics Outlook:Economic Drivers,Environmental Impacts and Policy Options,Organization for EconomicCooperation and Development(OECD),2022.3From Pollution to Solution:A Global Assessment of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution,Uni

263、ted Nations EnvironmentProgramme(UNEP),2021.4Plastic Pollution Control in China:Concepts and Practice,Zhang Deyuan et al.,Economic Science Press,2022.5Investigation Report on Personnel Engaged in Recycled Plastics Industry 2022,China Plastics Recycling Associationof China National Resources Recyclin

264、g Association(CPRA),2022.6Investigation Report on Recycling of Plastic Meal Boxes,China Plastics Recycling Association of China NationalResources Recycling Association(CPRA),2022.7Technical Report on Measures and Methods to Transform Consumption Model and Build a Low-carbon Society inChina,Center for Environmental Education and Communications of Ministry of Ecology and Environment,2020.8An Introduction to Plastic Recycling,Plastic Waste Management Institute(PWMI),2019.9Plastics-the Facts 2020:An Analysis of European Plastics Production,Demand and Waste Data,PlasticsEurope,2021.