China is making significant strides in its “waste-free city” initiative, with plans to build more than 3,700 such cities during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025). According to China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, this ambitious project represents an investment of over 1 trillion yuan (more than $140 billion).
Launched six years ago, the “waste-free city” project aims to reduce solid waste production at the source and enhance recycling efforts. In 2019, 11 cities and five areas were selected as pilot projects. To date, 113 cities and eight areas are in the process of building waste-free cities.
In Zhuhai City, located in south China’s Guangdong Province, the proper disposal of kitchen waste is a key task in achieving zero waste. A kitchen waste treatment project was completed in early 2024 at Zhuhai Fushan Industrial Park. This facility can process 500 tonnes of kitchen waste daily, extracting 8.25 tonnes of crude oil and generating approximately 29,000 kilowatt-hours of green electricity—enough to power about 2,900 households.
In Xinchang County in east China’s Zhejiang Province, biodegradation is utilized to manage kitchen waste. The waste is separated into liquid and solid components. After purification, the liquid is used in industries, while the solid is shredded and used to feed larvae of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens). Eventually, 60 percent of the solid waste is converted into adult insects that are sold to local fish farmers, and the remaining waste is transformed into organic manure.
“According to the daily processing capacity of about 100 tonnes and an annual capacity of 38,000 tonnes, nearly 18 million yuan (over $2.5 million) is generated through this method,” said Chen Kefeng, director of the county’s construction bureau.
In southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, construction waste is being repurposed into bricks for sidewalks, providing an environmentally friendly and economical solution to utilizing building materials that would otherwise go to waste.
The “waste-free city” concept is also being embraced by government agencies, enterprises, and schools. More than 25,000 production and living units have been established to practice this concept, fostering a green and low-carbon lifestyle across various sectors of society.
China aims to increase the proportion of waste-free cities to 60 percent by 2027, demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainable development and environmental protection.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
