@yogthos@lemmy.ml, since you're our resident China expert, I thought I'd ask: do you know if any of the PRC's companies are working on (or have even already solved!) the "plastics problem?" With regard to pollution, recycling, etc. I do remember their National Sword policy...🤔
China is shifting to a "non-waste" system, aiming for holistic lifecycle management of plastics. New national targets for 2030 include raising recycled plastic production to 19.5 million tons and increasing the use of recycled materials in cars, electronics, and packaging. plasticsnews.com/public-policy…
and a major push to shift to high value, closed loop recycling (you'd need to run the link through a translator) mj.org.cn/mjfc/mtjj/202603/t20…
Another interesting development is an effort to achieve sustainable reuse polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic in bottles, packaging, and textiles thecooldown.com/green-tech/bre…
Plastic is a hard problem to solve since meaningfully recycling most of it requires a expensive energy and chemical inputs.
Also, I'm running into some weird math. Doing some light searching, China’s plastic consumption demand will reach a peak at 119 million tons in 2030. That means their recycling target will be able to meet 16% of total plastic demand in China, but for comparison, China recycles 17% of it's plastic today. I doubt China is aiming for plastic recycling to remain about the same if it's supposed to be a new national target - I guess they might not be looking to increase the percentage of recycled plastic and are only interested in keeping up with demand? Or, probably likely, something is wrong with my sources because I can't get behind paywalls. 🤷♀️
Genuine question - is there anything being done about - or do they even recognise - the insane overuse of plastic packaging?
I love China, but one thing that drives me nuts is produce bring completely unnecessarily individually wrapped in plastic, then nestled in a plastoc tray, that is itself then wrapped in more plastic...
In other words, is there any plan for "reduce", not just "reuse, recycle"?
I've noticed this is a general phenomenon in Asia unfortunately. Everything gets wrapped in plastic completely needlessly. As far as I know there isn't really any serious effort to combat that.
From what simple I understand, undoing combustion is as inconvenient as it is combusting it. The more energy a combustion outputs, the more difficult it is to undo it. But if they've found a catalyst to pull it off then I'm hopeful that it could work and maybe bring progress
I'm guessing a big part of it is also having energy independence, and if the input energy comes from renewables or nuclear then it might actually end up being carbon neutral.
The US can't touch China because it's a nuclear superpower, and it produces critical inputs for the US economy. All China has to do is ban exports to the US, and American economy will collapse overnight. We already saw a preview of that during the tariff war.
I am well aware, but currently the people making these decisions dont have more perspective then what is infront of their nose. And if they are willing to jump when Isreal says too, then why not when exxon said too.
Alas Poor Erinaceus
in reply to ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆ • • •☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆
in reply to Alas Poor Erinaceus • • •China is shifting to a "non-waste" system, aiming for holistic lifecycle management of plastics. New national targets for 2030 include raising recycled plastic production to 19.5 million tons and increasing the use of recycled materials in cars, electronics, and packaging. plasticsnews.com/public-policy…
There's also a new green consumption drive china.org.cn/2026-01/07/conten…
and a major push to shift to high value, closed loop recycling (you'd need to run the link through a translator) mj.org.cn/mjfc/mtjj/202603/t20…
Another interesting development is an effort to achieve sustainable reuse polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic in bottles, packaging, and textiles thecooldown.com/green-tech/bre…
and to transform toxic industrial waste gas into hydrogen fuel en.people.cn/n3/2026/0109/c900…
Scientists make revolutionary breakthrough that could transform what happens to common waste: 'Carefully designed'
Rick Kazmer (The Cool Down)Alas Poor Erinaceus
in reply to ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆ • • •queermunist she/her
in reply to ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆ • • •Plastic is a hard problem to solve since meaningfully recycling most of it requires a expensive energy and chemical inputs.
Also, I'm running into some weird math. Doing some light searching, China’s plastic consumption demand will reach a peak at 119 million tons in 2030. That means their recycling target will be able to meet 16% of total plastic demand in China, but for comparison, China recycles 17% of it's plastic today. I doubt China is aiming for plastic recycling to remain about the same if it's supposed to be a new national target - I guess they might not be looking to increase the percentage of recycled plastic and are only interested in keeping up with demand? Or, probably likely, something is wrong with my sources because I can't get behind paywalls. 🤷♀️
China Plastic Pollution: Causes and Solutions | Earth.Org
Olivia Lai (Earth.Org)☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆
in reply to queermunist she/her • • •Tim
in reply to ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆ • • •Genuine question - is there anything being done about - or do they even recognise - the insane overuse of plastic packaging?
I love China, but one thing that drives me nuts is produce bring completely unnecessarily individually wrapped in plastic, then nestled in a plastoc tray, that is itself then wrapped in more plastic...
In other words, is there any plan for "reduce", not just "reuse, recycle"?
☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆
in reply to Tim • • •FEIN
in reply to ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆ • • •☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆
in reply to FEIN • • •HorreC
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in reply to HorreC • • •HorreC
in reply to ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆ • • •☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆
in reply to HorreC • • •HorreC
in reply to ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆ • • •☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆
in reply to HorreC • • •tastemyglaive
in reply to HorreC • • •pineapple
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