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On September 8, 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) released the Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan (hereinafter referred to as the plan) to further strengthen the plastic pollution control.
According to the plan, by 2025, China will generally eliminate double packaging for e-commerce express deliveries and the number of recyclable express packages will reach to 10 million. The nation's urban domestic waste incineration capacity will reach about 800,000 tons per day, and the amount of plastic waste directly landfilled will be significantly reduced. The recycling rate of agricultural films will reach 85%, and the amount of film residue nationwide will achieve zero growth.
The followings are the three main tasks deployed in the plan:
1. Actively promoting the reduction of plastic production and use:
Prohibiting the production of products that are harmful to the environment and human health, e.g. ultra-thin plastic shopping bags with a thickness of less than 0.025 mm, polyethylene agricultural mulch films with a thickness of less than 0.01 mm, and daily chemical products containing plastic microbeads;
Reducing the use of single-use plastic products: formulating Administrative Measures for the Use and Reporting of Single-use Plastic Products to establish a sound reporting system for the use and recycling of single-use plastic products, guiding the operators of commodity retail, e-commerce, catering, and accommodation to implement the main responsibility, etc.;
Applying alternative plastic products in a scientific and prudent manner, and improving their quality and food safety standards.
2. Accelerating the standardized recycling and disposal of plastic waste:
Establishing and improving the rural plastic waste collection and disposal system;
Enhancing the recycling of plastic waste;
Enhancing the level of harmless disposal of plastic waste.
3. Cleaning plastic waste in key areas including rivers, lakes and seas, tourist attractions and rural areas.
After the introduction of the "plastic ban" in 2020, the market for biodegradable plastics, as alternatives to single-use plastics, has grown significantly. The domestic consumption of shopping bags, agricultural films and takeaway bags, which are most strictly controlled under the plastic ban, exceeds 9 million tons a year.
Industry insiders expect that the biodegradable plastic market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 11.3% during the 14th Five-Year Plan period and achieve a revenue scale of over 50 billion yuan by 2025. With enhanced implementation of policies and the expanding application of biodegradable plastics, this market demand will be released to a greater extent.
