As the biggest manufacturer, user, and exporter of plastics in the world, China has a unique role to play in driving the transition to a circular economy for plastics globally. This will not only deliver China's 2025 plastic objectives, but also provide strategic support towards carbon emission goals by 2030 – and China’s broader environmental agenda. Now is the time to act.
This report is the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s first publication from its team in China envisioning a circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. future for plastics in the country. By taking China's plastic packaging industry as the entry point, it highlights the path and opportunities of the circular economy transformation for plastics and identifies a set of specific actions. A series of recommendations are also provided for policymakers and businesses to enable the circular economy transition.
Action Plan for China
Five key objectives are identified for Chinese government and businesses to form ambitious circular economy strategies:
Eliminate unnecessary or problematic packaging
Significantly increase the use of reusable packaging
Ensure all packaging is recyclable and recycled in practice
Increase the use of recycled content, to decouple plastic use from fossil resource consumption
Carefully assess the use of compostable packaging where relevant
With these objectives, government and businesses can take action in three priority areas:
Design
Systems and infrastructure
Incentives
The report also identifies one activating mechanism:
Establish a cross-value chain dialogue and collaboration to achieve a common vision and targets.
With the UN Plastic Treaty in development, China can play an active and leading role in driving this agenda forward and raising global ambition. In parallel, through bilateral and multilateral cooperation initiatives, China can help drive a global transition to a circular economy for plastics.
This report is available in Chinese with a briefing in English.
To quote this study, please use the following reference: Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Towards a circular economy for plastics in China: Opportunities and recommendations (2022).
