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China Boosts Waste Treatment Capacity by 1 Billion Tons
22 Sep
Summary
- Over 3,100 waste treatment facilities added during the 14th Five-Year Plan.
- New facilities contribute an annual capacity of 1 billion metric tons.
- Zero-waste cities program significantly improved waste governance.
China has made substantial progress in its zero-waste city program, adding over 3,100 solid waste treatment facilities during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). These new installations, located across 113 cities and eight other regions, have collectively boosted the nation's annual waste treatment capacity by approximately 1 billion metric tons. This initiative has significantly strengthened China's waste governance capabilities.
The program has focused on innovative solutions for industrial and hazardous waste. Cities like Erdos have achieved near-complete utilization of coal gangue for ecological restoration, reaching a 96 percent rate by 2025. Ningbo has reduced hazardous waste landfilling by 58 percent compared to 2024 by systematically developing utilization facilities.
Furthermore, efforts have been made to manage sludge from urban sewage treatment plants and construction waste. Hohhot has achieved near-harmless disposal of sludge by utilizing industrial kilns. Kunming has repurposed construction waste for ecological restoration and land reclamation projects, establishing 65 disposal and utilization sites.
