Globally, plastic regulation is forming an internationally mainstream model of “graduated mandatory requirements.” The European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), effective from February 2025, mandates phased increases in recycled material content, requiring that from 2030, plastic food packaging contain at least 10% recycled materials, single-use beverage bottles achieve 30% recycled content, with further increases to 50%-65% by 2040. The United States’ “Accelerating Circular Economy and Recycling Innovation Act of 2024” sets a target of at least 30% recycled material content in plastic packaging by 2030. South Korea’s revised “Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling of Resources” requires plastic bottle manufacturers using more than 5,000 tons of PET bottles annually to use at least 10% recycled plastics in their packaging from January 1, 2026.
As the world’s largest plastic producer and consumer, China has established a relatively complete industrial chain for waste plastic recycling and utilization. In 2024, approximately 62 million tons of waste plastics were generated, with 19.5 million tons recovered, representing a recovery rate of 31.5%, primarily sourced from discarded PET bottles and packaging films. Guangdong, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Hebei provinces account for the largest recovery volumes. Recycled plastic production reached 16.4 million tons, with recycled PET being the primary product. Eastern China, Southern China, and Northern China constitute the main consumption regions.
China is establishing a governance framework covering the entire life cycle through a three-tier “legislation-policy-standards” system. In April 2025, the “Ecological Environment Code (Draft),” submitted for first review at the 15th Session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, explicitly states in its “Waste Recycling and Utilization” section: “The state shall establish a mandatory system for the use of recycled materials in key product categories.” The “14th Five-Year Plan Action Plan for Plastic Pollution Control” (2021) proposed policy requirements including supporting the construction of plastic waste recycling projects, strengthening environmental supervision of plastic waste recycling enterprises, improving relevant standards for recycled plastics, and accelerating the promotion and application of advanced and applicable technologies and equipment for waste plastic recycling. The national standard “Design Guidelines for Recyclable and Regenerable Plastics,” released in September 2025, standardizes various links in the industrial chain from a technical perspective.
1. China’s Recycled Plastics Policy Dynamics
In recent years, China has promulgated multiple policy documents related to recycled plastics, gradually entering a new phase of “mandatory compliance.” This transformation not only drives the upgrading of China’s domestic industrial structure (such as the transition of recycled PE production capacity toward large-scale and intensive operations) but also has profound impacts on global supply chains through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems and recycled raw material standards.
1.1 Legislative Foundation: Legal Underpinnings of the Mandatory Use System
At the national legislative level, policy evolution exhibits clear phased characteristics. The “Circular Economy Promotion Law” of 2008 first established producer recovery responsibility. The revised “Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste” of 2020 incorporated products such as electrical and electronic equipment into the mandatory recovery system, laying the legal foundation for plastic governance. In the same year, the “Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control,” jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, explicitly stated the need to “increase the use of recycled plastics that meet quality control standards and usage control requirements” and “improve quality control standards for recycled plastics and standardize the uses of recycled plastics.” During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, the “14th Five-Year Plan Action Plan for Plastic Pollution Control” specified concrete requirements for “more significant results in the full-chain governance of plastic product production, circulation, consumption, recycling, and end-of-life disposal.” The “Opinions on Accelerating the Construction of a Waste Recycling System” further proposed that by 2025, the annual utilization of major renewable resources such as waste plastics should reach 450 million tons, with the annual output value of the resource recycling industry reaching 5 trillion yuan.
The legislative process accelerated in 2025. Article 987 of the “Ecological Environment Code (Draft)” for the first time legally establishes that “the state shall establish a mandatory system for the use of recycled materials in key product categories,” and requires that the development and reform departments of the State Council, in conjunction with relevant departments, formulate specific measures for the scope of products subject to mandatory use of recycled materials, the types of recycled materials, and the mandatory use ratios.
1.2 Policy and Standards Support: A Recycled Plastics Development System with Chinese Characteristics
Since September 2024, three national standards including “Identification and Marking of Recycled Plastics” have been successively released and will be implemented in 2025. In August 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation released nine national standards related to recycled plastics, including “Design Guidelines for Recyclable and Regenerable Plastics,” which will take effect on February 1, 2026. In October of the same year, three national standards including “Determination of Color Difference of Recycled Plastics” were released, expected to take effect on May 1, 2026. The previously implemented GB/T40006 series standards and “Normative Conditions for the Comprehensive Utilization of Waste Plastics Industry” have promoted standardized industrial development by establishing benchmark enterprises (140 announced as of November 2025) and technical indicators.
The released standards cover quality standards, product evaluation, component identification, recyclable and regenerable design, traceability, and environmental factor assessment for recycled plastics, providing full-process technical support for the construction of a closed-loop plastic recycling system and offering clearer specifications for the production and use of recycled plastics. The standards are driving the industrial chain to shift from “passive end-of-pipe recovery” to “proactive source design,” fundamentally improving the quality and efficiency of recycled plastic recovery and utilization. Other related standards such as “Requirements for Recycled Plastic Production and Sales Management System” and “General Rules for Evaluation of Easy-to-Recycle and Easy-to-Regenerate Design of Plastic Products” are currently in the public comment phase.
Table 1. Standards Related to Recycled Plastics Released in China in Recent Two Years
| Standard Code | Standard Name | Core Content/Indicators | Implementation Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design Guidelines for Recyclable and Regenerable Plastics | |||
| GB/T46020.1-2025 | “Plastics – Design Guidelines for Recyclable and Regenerable Part 1: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Materials” | Provides classification, basic principles, design elements, testing methods, and classification determination guidance for recyclable and regenerable design of PET materials, applicable to recyclable and regenerable design of PET rigid packaging containers and other products entering or intended to enter recycling systems. | 2026.02.01 |
| GB/T46020.2-2025 | “Plastics – Design Guidelines for Recyclable and Regenerable Part 2: High-Density Polyethylene (PE-HD) Materials” | Specifies classification, basic principles, and other content for recyclable and regenerable design of PE-HD materials, applicable to recyclable and regenerable design of PE-HD or PE-HD-based rigid packaging containers, construction pipes, and other products. | 2026.02.01 |
| Recycled Plastic Products and Component Specifications | |||
| GB/T46018.1-2025 | “Plastics – Technical Specifications for Recycled Plastic Product Evaluation Part 1: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Materials” | Specifies evaluation indicators, testing procedures, and qualification determination standards for PET recycled plastic products, providing technical basis for quality assessment of PET recycled plastic products. | 2026.02.01 |
| GB/T46018.2-2025 | “Plastics – Technical Specifications for Recycled Plastic Product Evaluation Part 2: Polystyrene (PS) Materials” | Formulates evaluation technical requirements and implementation specifications for polystyrene recycled plastic products, covering evaluation methods for product performance, environmental protection, and other dimensions. | 2026.02.01 |
| GB/T46019.1-2025 | “Plastics – Recycled Plastic Component Identification Part 1: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Materials” | Specifies identification methods, instrument requirements, and result determination rules for PET recycled plastic components, ensuring accuracy of PET recycled plastic component identification. | 2026.02.01 |
| GB/T46019.2-2025 | “Plastics – Recycled Plastic Component Identification Part 2: Polypropylene (PP) Materials” | Establishes identification procedures and technical specifications for polypropylene recycled plastic components, providing unified standards for PP recycled plastic component verification. | 2026.02.01 |
| GB/T40006.4-2025 | “Plastics – Recycled Plastics Part 4: Mixed Polyolefin (MPO) Materials” | Specifies technical requirements, test methods, and inspection rules for mixed polyolefin recycled plastics, including appearance and performance indicators. | 2026.02.01 |
| GB/T40006.10-2025 | “Plastics – Recycled Plastics Part 10: Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) Materials” | Specifies various technical indicators for PBT recycled plastics, such as pellet appearance, ash content, melting temperature, etc., and corresponding detection and inspection methods. | 2026.05.01 |
| GB/T40006.11-2024 | “Plastics – Recycled Plastics Part 11: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Materials” | Covers classification, naming, technical requirements, test methods, etc. for PVC recycled plastics, including informative annexes such as infrared spectra, standardizing PVC recycled plastic production and inspection. | 2025.04.01 |
| GB/T40006.13-2025 | “Plastics – Recycled Plastics Part 13: Polyphenylene Ether (PPE) Materials” | Formulates technical specifications for polyphenylene ether recycled plastics, including performance indicators, testing procedures, and packaging and transportation requirements, ensuring quality stability of PPE recycled plastics. | 2026.02.01 |
| General Management Requirements for Recycled Plastics | |||
| GB/T46043-2025 | “Plastics – Recycled Plastics – Traceability and Environmental Factor Assessment Guidelines” | Provides full-process traceability schemes and environmental factor assessment methods for recycled plastics, helping enterprises control environmental impacts and process traceability in recycled plastic production. | 2026.02.01 |
| GB/T45090-2024 | “Plastics – Identification and Marking of Recycled Plastics” | Establishes a recycled plastics identification system, including naming methods, text symbols, and marking graphics, applicable to recycled plastic material production and trade activities. | 2025.06.01 |
| GB/T45091-2024 | “Plastics – Restricted Substance Limits for Recycled Plastics” | Specifies in detail the restricted types, limits, and corresponding determination methods for heavy metals such as lead and mercury, and organic compounds such as polybrominated biphenyls in recycled plastics. | 2025.06.01 |
| Recycled Plastics Testing and Carbon Footprint Quantification Methods | |||
| GB/T46442-2025 | “Plastics – Determination of Color Difference of Recycled Plastics” | Specifies the measurement principles, instruments and equipment, test procedures, and result expression methods for color difference of recycled plastics, unifying color difference testing standards for recycled plastics. | 2026.05.01 |
| GB/T46576-2025 | “Greenhouse Gases – Product Carbon Footprint Quantification Method for Physically Recycled Plastic Products” | Establishes the greenhouse gas carbon footprint quantification process, data collection specifications, and calculation methods for physically recycled plastic products. | 2026.05.01 |
2. Compliance Requirements and Future Trends Analysis of China’s Recycled Plastics Policy Dynamics for Enterprises
2.1 Compliance Requirements of China’s Recycled Plastics Policy Dynamics for Enterprises
With the continuous improvement of China’s recycled plastics policy system, enterprises face comprehensive compliance requirements and development opportunities, necessitating adjustments to operational strategies across multiple dimensions including policy tracking, standards adaptation, technology upgrading, and supply chain optimization.
At the policy tracking level, enterprises must establish a comprehensive policy tracking system covering legislative processes, standards updates, and project reviews. Particular attention should be paid to the development progress of the “mandatory system for the use of recycled materials in key product categories” mentioned in the Ecological Environment Code, as this will directly determine enterprises’ material use planning in different application areas.
Regarding standards compliance, the implementation of multiple national standards for recycled plastics imposes requirements on enterprises across three dimensions. First, significant elevation of quality thresholds: GB/T45091-2024 “Restricted Substance Limits for Recycled Plastics” explicitly specifies limit standards for 18 hazardous substances including lead and mercury. Second, establishment of traceability systems: relevant standards for recycled plastics and solid waste require enterprises to establish full-process data recording systems from waste collection, transportation, and processing to recycled product production and sales. Third, extension of design responsibility: the GB/T46020 series standards advance compliance requirements to the product design phase, requiring enterprises to fully consider product recyclability during design. For packaging enterprises in particular, their product structure design and material selection must comply with the technical requirements of these standards. Although most national standards currently released in China are recommended standards, enterprises should gradually adjust production planning to prepare for strict requirements under the future graduated mandatory policy trend.
Additionally, industry consolidation and high-value-added utilization policies jointly promoted by multiple national departments also point the way forward for enterprises. The “Implementation Plan for Accelerating Industrial Resource Comprehensive Utilization,” jointly issued by eight departments including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Science and Technology, explicitly proposes deepening waste plastic recycling, focusing on promoting the recovery and utilization of high-volume waste plastic varieties such as discarded beverage bottles and plastic express packaging, while cultivating leading backbone enterprises to improve industry concentration. In terms of utilization direction, enterprises are encouraged to promote high-value-added utilization of waste plastics, conduct green design certification for comprehensive utilization products, and increase the proportion of recycled plastics used in high-end fields such as automobiles, electrical and electronic equipment, construction, and textiles, while scientifically promoting the application of plastic substitute products to assist plastic pollution control. This provides policy support for enterprises to expand market space and enhance product added value.
At the level of international compliance and supply chain optimization, China’s recycled material certification system is gradually aligning with international standards, strengthening the potential for connection with relevant international standards, which provides compliance convenience for European and American enterprises operating in China. However, enterprises still need to focus on the specific requirements of GB/T45091-2024 “Identification and Marking of Recycled Plastics and Their Products” and plan product certification processes. Production bases in China, in particular, must simultaneously meet mandatory requirements for product certification and energy consumption and carbon emission audits during production processes.
2.2 Future Trends in China’s Recycled Plastics Policy Dynamics
The recently announced “15th Five-Year Plan” proposal explicitly states the requirement to “improve the total resource management and comprehensive conservation system, raise the level of waste classification and resource utilization, and promote the development of circular economy.” With the formulation and implementation of relevant policy plans during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period (2026-2030), China’s policies in the low-carbon and resource recovery fields continue to accelerate. It is expected that a phased, gradual improvement implementation model will be adopted, with detailed regulations on recycled plastic proportions issued for different industries. The home appliance and automotive sectors are expected to be the first to conduct related pilot programs. Meanwhile, China will further improve the recycled plastics standards system, formulating detailed recycling technology standards for more plastic varieties and strengthening coordination and alignment with relevant international standards. At the local level, regions with advanced experience in recycled plastics industry development such as Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces may promote more provinces to conduct related pilot programs. Furthermore, China will more actively participate in international rule-making and standard-setting in green and low-carbon fields including recycled plastics.
