China Focus: China to ramp up solid waste management in green transition push

The State Council Information Office (SCIO) holds a policy briefing on "Action Plan for Comprehensive Treatment of Solid Waste" in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 13, 2026. (Photo by Zhao Yifan/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- China has released an action plan to achieve a notable increase in its solid waste treatment capacity in the next five years, as part of its broader efforts to propel a comprehensive green transition in its economy and society.

The plan, drafted by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and 24 other government departments, prioritizes the treatment of solid waste that has a direct impact on public health or workplace safety. It calls for the expedited establishment of a comprehensive, long-term governance framework alongside resolute measures to curb the growth momentum of solid waste.

By 2030, the annual utilization of bulk solid waste is expected to reach 4.5 billion tonnes, while the annual recycling volume of major renewable resources will hit 510 million tonnes, according to the plan.

The plan comes as China steps up efforts to accelerate the green transition across the board, while seeking to address the challenges posed by the accumulation of solid waste during its industrialization and urbanization processes.

It sets out detailed measures to improve resource utilization, enhance the source control and reduction of solid waste, standardize its collection, transportation and storage, and strengthen the capacity for its safe disposal.

"Solid waste should not be viewed as trash, but as valuable resources that are currently mismanaged," Zhou Haibing, deputy head of the NDRC, told a press conference on Tuesday.

The plan details requirements for cutting waste at the source, improving how waste is managed, and recovering valuable materials. It aims at building sustainable commercial frameworks, channeling market forces toward a circular economy, and driving greater success in comprehensive waste governance.

For solid waste like smelting slag, construction debris and crop straw from production sectors, measures will be taken to facilitate their direct reuse as well as the efficient extraction and integrated use of valuable components, according to Zhou.

For waste products and equipment from both industrial and domestic sources, efforts will be made to facilitate the extraction of recyclable materials including plastics, metals and glass, it said.

The plan also aims to leverage both institutional frameworks and market mechanisms to guide manufacturers in scaling up the use of recycled materials, including recycled metals, plastics and paper pulp.

Furthermore, resources from existing funding channels will be pooled to support the development of qualified resource recycling projects, while research and development in key solid waste recycling technologies will be intensified, it said.

As a country with a large population and a major agricultural sector, China generates solid waste from farming on a vast scale and wide distribution, making its integrated management and recycling a formidable challenge, said Yang Ru, an official of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

According to the plan, efforts will be made to promote both high-strength and fully biodegradable plastic mulch films, to improve the recycling of pesticide packaging waste based on local conditions, to advance the recycling of livestock manure, and to adopt science-based methods for returning straw to fields or using it as animal feed.

It also emphasizes the enhancement of policy incentives and support to attract diverse stakeholders to the agricultural solid waste recycling sector, aiming to boost the motivation and technical capacity of businesses involved. ■