Omar Khalid
China has been the world's largest producer and consumer of plastics, as well as the biggest importer of plastic waste. In 2017, China announced a ban on the import of most plastic waste, which came into effect on 1 January 2018. This was followed by a ban on all solid waste imports in 2021. China has also implemented several measures to tackle plastic pollution, including banning single-use plastic straws and bags and ultra-thin plastic bags. The country has set goals for 2020, 2022, and 2025 to reduce the consumption of disposable plastic products and promote reusable alternatives.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of implementation | 1 January 2018 |
| Types of plastic banned | 8 types of post-consumer plastic scrap, plastic waste polymers of PE, PS, PVC, PET, PP, bales of PET plastic bottles, aluminum plastic film, and compact disk/digital video disks |
| Other materials banned | One type of unsorted paper, a dozen types of used textiles, and four metal slags containing vanadium |
| Number of materials banned | 24 |
| Date of announcement | 16 August 2017 |
| Policy tightened | 15 November 2017 |
| Additional materials banned | 16, effective 31 December 2019 |
| Full ban on solid waste imports | 1 January 2021 |
| Plastic bags banned | Bags with a thickness of less than 0.025 mm |
| Plastic straws banned | 1 January 2021 |
| Plastic microbeads banned | Yes |
| Plastic cotton swabs banned | Yes |
| Plastic reduction goals | 2020, 2022, 2025 |
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What You'll Learn
China's 2017 ban on plastic waste imports
China implemented a ban on plastic waste imports in 2017. The ban was announced on 16 August 2017 and came into effect on 1 January 2018. The Chinese government's policy banned the import of 24 types of solid waste, including plastics, paper products, and textiles. This move was an attempt to mitigate the environmental and health problems caused by the large amounts of waste being imported into the country. China had been the largest importer of plastic waste, receiving around 8.88 million tons annually, with much of it being buried or mismanaged, leading to a series of environmental issues.
The 2017 ban was not China's first attempt to restrict waste imports. Since 2010, the country had been implementing more stringent waste import policies, and in 2013, it introduced the Green Fence campaign, which aimed to reduce contamination levels in scrap material imports. However, these earlier efforts did not entirely stop the flow of plastic waste into China, and the 2017 ban was a much tighter policy that essentially amounted to a ban on all waste imports.
The impact of China's 2017 ban on plastic waste imports was significant. It led to a sharp decline in global plastic waste trade flow and forced other countries to change their treatment and disposal methods for plastic waste. The ban is estimated to have improved four midpoint indicators of environmental impact and resulted in annual savings of about 2.35 billion euros in ecological costs, equivalent to 56% of the global trade value of plastic waste in 2017.
However, the ban also had unintended consequences. With China no longer accepting plastic waste imports, other countries had to find alternative destinations for their waste. This led to a rise in waste exports to other Asian countries, such as Indonesia, which often lack the infrastructure to manage the increased volume of waste.
In the years following the 2017 ban, China continued to tighten its waste import restrictions. In 2019, the country added 16 more materials to the list of banned imports, and in 2020, it announced its intention to ban all solid waste imports starting in 2021. These successive bans underscore China's commitment to addressing the environmental and health challenges posed by waste imports.
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Plastic pollution in China
Plastic pollution is a significant issue in China, which is the world's biggest producer, consumer, and exporter of plastics. The country consumes at least one-fifth of the world's plastics and produces about 60 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with only 16 million tonnes recycled in 2020. China's contribution to the global plastic crisis is immense, as it is the largest source of mismanaged plastic waste and the biggest offender of ocean plastic pollution.
The Yangtze River, the longest river in Asia, has been identified as one of the biggest sources of marine plastic pollution globally. Studies have shown that more than half of all marine plastic pollution comes from the Yangtze River, with recent studies attributing 7% of plastic inputs in oceans to China. Plastic pollution in China's rivers is primarily caused by mismanaged waste in urban and rural areas, agricultural plastic films, and sewage systems.
To combat plastic pollution, China implemented a waste import ban in 2017, banning the import of 24 types of solid waste, including plastics. This ban significantly improved four midpoint indicators of environmental impact and resulted in an annual saving of about 2.35 billion euros in eco-costs. China has also taken steps to improve waste management systems and promote recycling initiatives, such as the collaboration between the UN, China, and the Republic of Korea in the Yellow Sea to clean up marine litter.
However, plastic pollution in China remains a pressing issue, with plastic debris breaking down into microplastics that contaminate the environment and enter the food chain. Studies have found plastic ingestion in all 21 species of sea fish and freshwater fish from Chinese waters examined, indicating that people consuming fish are also ingesting plastics. China's large-scale production and consumption of plastics, combined with insufficient waste management and recycling practices, contribute to the severity of plastic pollution in the country.
Addressing plastic pollution in China requires a combination of policy interventions, improved waste management, and individual actions. While the waste import ban was a step towards reducing global plastic waste trade, more stringent measures and effective recycling systems are necessary to mitigate the environmental impact of plastic pollution in China. Individuals can also contribute by reducing the demand for single-use plastics and adopting reusable alternatives.
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China's 2021 ban on single-use plastics
China has been tightening its waste import policies since 2010. In 2017, China announced a ban on the import of most plastic waste, which came into effect on 31 December 2017. This was followed by a series of laws and regulations to strengthen plastic pollution prevention and control.
In 2021, China implemented a ban on single-use plastics, prohibiting restaurants from providing single-use plastic straws and stores in major cities from providing plastic shopping bags. This ban included single-use plastic bags and utensils in major cities, with a nationwide ban on single-use straws. The ban was part of a set of restrictions on the production, sale, and use of single-use plastic products.
The 2021 ban was an extension of the 2017 ban on importing plastic waste, which had a significant impact on global environmental sustainability. China, as the largest producer and consumer of plastic, plays a central role in the global plastics economy and plastic pollution. The 2017 ban reduced global plastic waste trade flow and changed the treatment structure of countries, resulting in environmental and economic benefits.
The 2021 ban on single-use plastics was part of China's efforts to address plastic pollution and encourage the use of biodegradable materials. The ban aimed to reduce the demand for single-use plastics and promote the use of biodegradable alternatives, such as bags and utensils made from biodegradable materials. China's packaging waste had increased eightfold in the two years leading up to the ban, and it was projected to reach 45 million tons annually by 2025.
The ban on single-use plastics was also accompanied by guidelines to improve recycling infrastructure and policies encouraging green biodegradable packaging. China's waste ban policy aims to improve severe environmental circumstances and facilitate the healthy development of people and society.
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China's 2008 'plastic limit order'
On December 31, 2007, the China State Council issued the 'Notice on Restricting the Production and Sale of Plastic Shopping Bags', which was implemented on June 1, 2008, commonly known as the 'plastic limit order'. The main components of the 'plastic limit order' were a ban on the production, sale, and use of any plastic bag with a thickness of less than 0.025 mm, and a system of payment for plastic bags provided in retail establishments. The 'plastic limit order' has been in place for over 10 years, and by 2016, it had successfully reduced the use of plastic shopping bags in supermarkets and shopping malls by more than two-thirds, resulting in a cumulative reduction of about 1.4 million tons of plastic shopping bags.
The 'plastic limit order' aimed to influence consumer habits through price leverage, or paid use. However, the focus of plastic restriction remained on the consumer side, rather than addressing the full cycle of plastic production, consumption, and disposal. In addition, the rise of new industries, such as e-commerce, express delivery, and food delivery, has led to an increase in the use of disposable plastic packages that are not covered by the 'plastic limit order', creating a grey area in the law.
In 2020, China strengthened its plastic pollution prevention and control efforts by amending and releasing a series of laws and regulations. China's plastic pollution legislation is a necessary step toward addressing the country's severe environmental and ecological issues. China has been the world's largest plastic producer and consumer for the past 10 years, and the country has imported a significant amount of plastic waste since 1992.
In 2017, China announced a ban on the import of most plastic waste, which had a significant impact on global environmental sustainability and resulted in a sharp decline in the global plastic waste trade. The ban targeted eight types of plastic waste from consumer goods, including plastic waste polymers and plastic bottles, as well as aluminum plastic film and compact disks. China's waste import policies have become more stringent since 2010, with a focus on improving environmental and health outcomes.
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China's 2020 'Plastic Pollution Control' plan
China's efforts to tackle plastic pollution gained momentum in 2016 with the 13th Five-Year Plan, which aimed to improve the country's ecological and environmental quality by 2020. The following years saw a steady increase in policies addressing plastic pollution, culminating in significant developments in 2020.
On July 10, 2020, China took a pivotal step towards addressing plastic pollution by releasing the "Notice on Making Solid Progress in the Treatment of Plastic Pollution." This notice, jointly issued by the NDRC, MEE, and eight other ministries, aimed to ensure progress towards the 2020 goal. It mandated that each province devise a detailed plan for plastic pollution control before mid-August 2020. A nationwide inspection was also conducted to enforce the plastic ban in key areas such as shopping malls, supermarkets, and the catering industry.
Subsequently, on August 28, 2020, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) published a significant notice titled "Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control in Business Fields." This notice outlined the National Plastics Pollution Control Plan's three-phased goals for 2020, 2022, and 2025. It specified banned and limited plastic products, with deadlines for each phase. The MOC instructed local authorities to establish a centralised system for shopping bag purchases in grocery markets and enhance supervision of e-commerce and food delivery enterprises. Additionally, they were tasked with drafting alternative plans to reduce disposable plastic consumption and promoting reusable and eco-friendly alternatives.
By January 1, 2021, 31 provinces in mainland China had implemented action plans for plastic pollution control. For example, Hainan Province focused on six key industries, including catering, wholesale and retail, and e-commerce, to enforce the plastic ban. During the pilot period, large supermarkets removed non-degradable disposable plastic products and transitioned to selling paper and bio-based alternatives.
China's 2020 initiatives provided a legislative framework to address plastic pollution and encouraged the use of degradable materials. The 2020 amendment to the Solid Waste Law was particularly noteworthy as it specified plastic waste management and pollution control, providing a legal basis for tackling plastic pollution.
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Frequently asked questions
China announced a ban on its import of most plastic waste in 2017, which came into effect on January 1, 2018.
The ban resulted in a sharp decline in the global plastic waste trade flow and changes in the treatment structure of countries. It also improved four midpoint indicators of environmental impact and led to an annual saving of about 2.35 billion euros.
China implemented a phased ban on plastic waste imports, starting with 24 types of solid waste in 2018, and eventually banning all solid waste imports from January 1, 2021.
China has also banned single-use plastic products like straws and shopping bags, ultra-thin plastic bags, and plastic microbeads in cosmetics. It has set goals for plastic pollution control by 2022 and 2025 and taken enforcement actions to inspect and fine businesses that violate the rules.
