Current Status, Challenges and Green Transformation of Waste Plastic Management

China's waste plastic treatment mainly adopts three methods: landfill, incineration, and recycling. Landfill operations are simple but heavily polluting, and are gradually being replaced; Burning can effectively reduce emissions and generate electricity, but pollutant emissions need to be controlled; Recycling is the most sustainable, but it faces classification and economic challenges. At present, China is building a comprehensive governance system of "reduction recycling disposal", which is promoted through policy guidance, technological innovation, and market mechanisms to achieve a balanced development of plastic pollution control and resource recycling, and to assist in the construction of "waste free cities" and the achievement of dual carbon goals.

1. Landfill Treatment: Dilemmas and Transformation of Traditional Methods

As the most traditional disposal method, plastic waste landfilling remains widely used in economically underdeveloped regions due to its simple operation and low cost. However, this approach faces severe environmental challenges. With degradation cycles lasting centuries, landfills not only occupy valuable land resources but may also leach microplastics and hazardous chemicals, causing persistent pollution to soil and groundwater. With the advancement of "Zero-Waste City" initiatives, various regions are gradually reducing landfill volumes and transitioning to environmentally compliant sanitary landfills equipped with multi-layer anti-seepage systems and leachate treatment facilities to mitigate environmental risks. Nevertheless, landfilling will ultimately be replaced by more sustainable disposal methods in the long run.

2. Incineration Treatment: Balancing Energy Recovery and Environmental Protection

In recent years, waste-to-energy incineration has developed rapidly in China. This efficient treatment method can reduce plastic waste volume by over 90% while enabling energy recovery. Currently, more than 600 modern waste incineration plants have been built nationwide, with an annual processing capacity exceeding 200 million tons. However, the technology also faces critical challenges including dioxin emission control and carbon emission management, particularly for chlorine-containing plastics that require strict maintenance of combustion temperatures above 850°C and sophisticated flue gas purification processes. Newly developed high-temperature gasification technology and carbon capture and storage equipment are providing innovative solutions for cleaner incineration plant retrofits.

3. Recycling: The Core Pathway to Sustainable Development

As the most promising disposal method, China's plastic recycling industry has established a complete industrial chain, with annual recycling volumes exceeding 20 million tons—ranking first globally. Current mechanical recycling produces products like chemical fibers and pipes through melt reprocessing, while chemical recycling can depolymerize plastics back to their original monomers. However, the recycling system still struggles with incomplete waste sorting and low added-value of recycled products. To address this, 46 key cities have launched waste classification pilot programs, and breakthroughs in intelligent sorting robots and enzymatic degradation technologies are creating new opportunities for high-value recycling. The recently issued "Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan" explicitly sets a target of zero plastic waste landfilling by 2025.

4. Integrated Governance: Building a Circular Economy for Plastics

Solving the plastic pollution crisis requires establishing a comprehensive management system covering the entire lifecycle. In pilot cities like Shenzhen, "plastic bans" reduce source generation, improved sorting and collection networks enhance recycling rates, and clean incineration facilities process non-recyclable waste. This transformation demands coordinated efforts in policy regulation, market mechanisms, and technological innovation: improving extended producer responsibility systems, establishing green plastic certification schemes, and promoting biodegradable alternatives. Only through collaboration between government, industry, and the public can China achieve its goal of building a mature plastic circular economy system by 2035, providing strong support for the development of a Beautiful China.