Excessive production and consumption, and inadequate waste management, have turned plastic pollution into a pressing global environmental crisis

Plastic has become an indispensable material. However, plastic pollution is a ubiquitous and pressing environmental threat.

Studies show the urgency of addressing plastic pollution. The OECD's Global Plastics Outlook reports that annual global plastics production skyrocketed from 234 million tons in 2000 to 460 million tons in 2019, while plastic waste doubled during the same period, reaching 353 million tons in 2019. If current trends persist, global annual plastics production is projected to exceed 1 billion tons within the next 40 years, with plastic waste generation expected to rise accordingly.

Despite growing awareness, international actions in response to global environmental challenges remain insufficiently ambitious. The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-5) held in Busan, the Republic of Korea, failed to achieve a consensus due to substantial disagreements among nations over issues such as the production of plastic products, chemical use and funding mechanisms. On Dec 2, it was decided to adjourn the meeting, with plans to reconvene in 2025 to resume negotiations on the chair's text, the primary outcome of INC-5.

The Chinese delegation emphasized that addressing the global challenge of plastic pollution necessitates robust international collaboration. The document should respect national differences, embody principles of fairness and inclusiveness, and fully account for general acceptability and practical implementation. It also urged developed countries to offer financial, technical and capacity-building support to developing nations to ensure effective global implementation.

As a leading economy in global plastic production, consumption and trade, China plays a pivotal role in addressing global plastic pollution. To date, China has implemented a series of proactive measures to govern plastic pollution and achieved notable results.

In terms of laws, regulations and policies, China began tackling the "white pollution" caused by plastic bags in 2007, with its management policies evolving from end-of-life treatment to include plastic circulation, product packaging design and upstream industrial chain development.

In 2020, China issued the Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control, which set a clear goal of banning single-use, non-degradable plastic bags nationwide by 2025, aiming to reduce plastic pollution at its source. The revised Solid Waste Pollution Prevention and Control Law of 2020 further reinforced plastic waste management requirements, promoted the use of recyclable materials as substitutes for traditional plastics, and emphasized a life cycle approach to tackling plastic pollution. In 2022, the State Council's General Office issued the Action Plan for New Pollutants Treatment, listing microplastics as a key controlled new pollutant.

In sustainable production and consumption, China has gradually advanced the control of plastic production at its source, banning the manufacture of ultrathin plastic shopping bags, ultrathin agricultural mulch films and personal care products containing plastic microbeads. It has actively promoted comprehensive plastic pollution control and facilitated a green transition across the entire plastic value chain, including eco-friendly express delivery packaging. Additionally, it encourages the public to adopt alternative products to reduce single-use plastics.

China is among the first countries to implement control measures for unnecessary single-use plastic products. Provinces such as Hainan have already begun banning or restricting non-degradable single-use plastics in specific regions or sectors.

A report released in 2022 shows that between 2010 and 2020, China recycled approximately 170 million tons of waste plastics, equivalent to a reduction of 510 million tons of crude oil consumption and 61.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. During this period, China's material utilization of waste plastics represented 45 percent of the global total. In 2021, China recycled approximately 19 million tons of waste plastics, achieving a material recycling rate of 31 percent — significantly above the global average.

Considering that 99 percent of the raw materials for global plastic production come from fossil fuels, its life cycle carbon emissions cannot be ignored. Plastic production and end-of-life disposal represent the most carbon-intensive stages in its life cycle. According to the Peking University's Institute of Energy, the carbon footprint of China's plastic industry during production is approximately 2.5 tons of CO2 equivalent per ton, varying with the carbon intensity of different fossil fuels. Additionally, energy efficiency differences significantly impact emissions. At the end-of-life treatment stage, plastic incineration emits up to 2.7 tons of CO2 equivalent per ton.

Moving forward, China should strengthen synergistic governance of plastic pollution and industry decarbonization in three aspects. For source reduction, efforts should focus on reducing packaging plastics, accelerating the elimination of single-use plastics in the short term, and plan scientifically reasonable phased targets for controlling virgin plastic volumes in the medium to long term. At the same time, it should promote green product design, expedite the implementation of extended producer responsibility mechanisms, and establish a circular economy system for plastics.

In terms of the decarbonization of the production processes, it should accelerate the optimization of industrial structures in the petrochemical and plastics sectors, phase out outdated capacity, expand the use of renewable energy and green raw materials, and accelerate research and development of carbon capture, utilization and storage.

At the end-of-life treatment stage, it should reduce waste through source reduction, emphasizing plastic reuse and recycling. Additionally, waste-to-energy incineration plants must be rigorously monitored to ensure pollutant levels comply with standards. In the medium to long term, the incineration of plastics waste should be limited and eventually banned.

In addition to national and local actions, global governance is crucial for addressing plastic pollution. The international community urgently needs to enhance cooperation in mechanisms and funding. The formulation of legally binding international instruments will serve as the foundation and starting point for global cooperation on plastic pollution governance. Drafting international agreements, standards, and lists should prioritize fairness and scientific rigor. Only measures based on scientific evidence and fully considering the basic conditions and capacities of different countries can ensure their reasonableness and feasibility.

Regarding funding, the United Nations Environment Programme and OECD predict that trillions of dollars will be needed globally for plastic pollution management by 2040. Given differences in the impact and governance capacities of developing countries, developed nations should provide financial and technical support to help developing countries fulfill treaty obligations. Meanwhile, diversified funding mechanisms should be established to mobilize private capital through bilateral and multilateral funding channels, green finance, and transition finance.

Although negotiations on the plastic convention have not yet reached an agreement, the initiatives to address plastic pollution will continue. Global cooperation, including that of governments, businesses, research institutions and others, will also proceed, deepening further.

The author is an analyst at the Institute of Energy, Climate Change and Energy Transition Program at Peking University. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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