Abstract
AbstractThe 2017 ban on the waste import and new policies for the waste management sector in mainland China had wide-spread impact. After decades of poor environmental and public health impacts from the sector, a study is needed which focuses on policies updates and waste management. This provides a direction for the survival of local waste management industries and consider similarities with the ban promulgated in China on the restriction of waste import from other countries. We review the waste management situation in China before national legislation prevented the import of waste, highlight the status of landfill mining in China, and review the dynamics of domestic policies before and after the promulgation of the ban in China. The impact of the COVID19 pandemic on the waste management system is starting to emerge, providing both challenges and opportunities for the sector in China. We see the impact of the ban on the range of imported waste and domestically generated materials. The ban results in price increases for domestic recycling that forces companies to introduce more formal recycling processes and to drive the consumption behaviours to more reasonable and environmentally friendly options. The driver in China is to reduce pollution in the environment and improve health, but a negative impact has been from increased landfill mining which has impeded the original aim of the waste ban and requires further technological development. The dynamic of domestic policies in China shows higher level of activity of updates and revisions or introduction of new policies from 2015 onwards and the concept of ‘zero waste cities’ brings new hope for improvement of the Chinese waste management system. The pandemic also suggests an important step to establish sustainable management systems despite evidence of increased “fly-tipping”. The rebound of the waste ban may have stimulated in the short term negative impacts on local environments both in China and internationally.
Funder
Scottish Alliance for Geoscience, Environment and Society
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Geochemistry and Petrology,General Environmental Science,Water Science and Technology,Environmental Chemistry,General Medicine,Environmental Engineering
Reference55 articles.
1. Adejumo, O., Oluduro, O. F. (2021). Ticking Time Bomb: Implications of the Covid-19 Lockdown on E-Waste Management in Developing Countries. UCL Open: Environment Preprint. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444/000065.v1https://ucl.scienceopen.com/document?vid=2b6ea81e-cb8e-45aa-bbde-9cb80ccc39dc.
2. Chen, Y., Cui, Z., Cui, X., Liu, W., Wang, X., & Li, S. (2019). Life cycle assessment of end-of-life treatments of waste plastics in China. Resources Conservation and Recycling, 146, 348–357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.03.011
3. CMC. (2016). Report of China renewable resource recycling industry development. Renewable resource and recycling economy, vol (9)6, pp 15–21. Chinese Ministry of Commerce. http://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTotal-ZSZY201606006.htm (in Chinese).
4. CMC. (2017). Report of China renewable resource recycling industry development’. P 17–25. Chinese Ministry of Commerce http://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-JSZS201705007.htm. (Accessed: 1 April 2021) (in Chinese).
5. CMC. (2018). Report of China renewable resource recycling industry development’. Pp 42–51. Chinese Ministry of Commerce http://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-LTZY201912013.htm. (Accessed: 1 April 2021) (in Chinese).
Cited by
11 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献，注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献，订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献