China introduces new national framework for industrial waste recycling and resource efficiency
The Chinese government has unveiled a comprehensive action plan to enhance the recovery of industrial waste and boost resource circularity by 2030.
Five government bodies, including the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, released an action plan on November 4th aimed at systemic resource conservation. The initiative mandates a shift toward circular economic practices to reduce industrial reliance on raw materials.
The policy prioritizes the development of infrastructure for "urban mining," specifically targeting the collection and processing of scrap steel, end-of-life vehicles, and electronic waste. It also outlines frameworks for managing the lifecycle of electric vehicle batteries and the decommissioning of renewable energy infrastructure like wind and solar components.
Beyond waste recovery, the framework mandates stricter standards for product packaging to curb excess waste and promotes green manufacturing design. The government has set a specific target to reach an annual utilization rate of approximately 4.5 billion tons of bulk solid waste by 2030.