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Plastic Waste and a Circular Economy in China
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This review examines China's plastic waste management challenges and the country's progress toward implementing circular economy principles for plastic recovery and recycling. As one of the world's largest plastic producers and consumers, China's plastic waste policies have major global implications for the amount of plastic that ultimately becomes microplastics.
Plastic has made life easier by providing affordable products, but the durability of plastic poses significant challenges for waste management and is a serious threat to the environment. The production volume of plastic is predicted to increase, and this calls for efficient measures to treat plastic waste. The situation is stringent in China, whose economy has grown during the past decades; this has led to challenges in waste management as a whole. The current plastic waste management in China is heavily relying on waste disposal through the use of landfills and incineration. After becoming aware of the problems related to plastic waste, the Chinese government has issued several policies to reduce plastic waste generation, improve the collection, and increase the recycling of it. This chapter reviews the transition of plastic waste management towards plastic recycling in the context of China, from technological, regulative, and environmental perspectives. To reduce the environmental harm of plastic and accomplish a circular and sustainable plastic system, increased circularity, the smarter use of plastic, and the use of renewable materials will be the needed pathways in the future.
More Papers Like This
Exploring Plastic-Management Policy in China: Status, Challenges and Policy Insights
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Researchers reviewed China's plastic management policies and found that despite being the world's largest plastic producer, existing regulations remain insufficient, recommending strengthened extended producer responsibility and circular economy approaches to control plastic pollution.
Research and management of plastic pollution in coastal environments of China
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This review summarizes research on plastic pollution in China's coastal environments, noting that as the world's largest producer of plastic waste, China faces significant environmental challenges. Researchers found that microplastics have been detected in surface waters, sediments, and the water column along Chinese coasts from both land-based and sea-based sources. The study highlights that while national-level policies address plastic waste broadly, there is virtually no legislation specifically targeting microplastic pollution.
Plastic consumption and waste generation in China: Pathways toward full chain governance under policy interventions.
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This study used historical data from 68 countries to forecast China's plastic use and waste through 2040. Without new policies, plastic waste could reach about 208 million tonnes a year, but a circular economy approach combining reduction, material substitution and recycling could cut demand by up to 24% and mismanaged waste by nearly 90%.
An Overview of Management Status and Recycling Strategies for Plastic Packaging Waste in China
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Not relevant to microplastics — this paper reviews Chinese policy and recycling technology for plastic packaging waste, focusing on regulatory frameworks, carbon emissions, and recycling infrastructure rather than microplastic contamination or health risks.
Status and Future Prospects for Plastics Recycling
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This review examines the current state and future directions of plastic recycling in South Korea and globally, addressing challenges posed by China's ban on importing foreign plastic waste. It explores technical, economic, and policy factors shaping the future of plastic recycling.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.