China Releases the Action Plan for Promoting the Use of Recycled Materials

On December 23, 2025, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) released the Action Plan for Promoting the Use of Recycled Materials to expand the utilization of recycled resources and advance the development of a circular economy.

The plan focuses on major categories of recycled materials—such as recycled steel, recycled plastics, and recycled paper—and outlines measures to secure their supply, promote their use, and improve the management system for recycled material application.

Measures to secure the supply of recycled materials include strengthening recycling systems for end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) and used traction batteries, as well as promoting revisions to the Administrative Measures for the Recycling of Renewable Resources. The plan also recommends that manufacturers of automobiles, electrical and electronic products, batteries, textile products, and packaging materials increase their use of recycled materials.

Background of the Action Plan

• Expanding the use of recycled materials is crucial for developing a circular economy, ensuring resource security, and reducing carbon emissions.
• Expansion of recycled material supply: In 2024, the total recycling volume of China’s top 10 recycled materials exceeded 400 million tons. With continued progress in large-scale equipment renewal and consumer product replacement policies, the volume of equipment and consumer goods available for recycling and dismantling is expected to grow substantially.

Goals of the Action Plan

By 2030, China aims to further improve its waste recycling system and gradually establish standards and certification schemes for the promotion and use of recycled materials. The plan also seeks to steadily increase the share of recycled materials used in the automobile, electrical and electronic product, textile, and packaging industries. Key targets for annual recycled material utilization and production include:

• Recycled steel: Over 300 million tons
• Recycled paper: Over 80 million tons
• Recycled non-ferrous metals: Over 25 million tons
• Recycled plastics: Over 19.5 million tons

Measures to Ensure the Supply of Recycled Materials

The plan outlines measures to strengthen the supply of recycled steel, recycled non-ferrous metals, recycled plastics, and recycled paper, as well as to improve the waste recycling system. Key initiatives related to recycled plastics and the waste management system include:

• Measures to Strengthen the Supply of Recycled Plastics

• • Establish and improve a category- and grade-based supply system for recycled plastics, and accelerate the development of high-value-added recycling systems for plastic waste.
  • Support leading industry enterprises in promoting the industrialization of chemical recycling for plastic waste and expand methods for recovering low-value plastic waste and converting it into high-value products.

• Measures to Improve the Waste Recycling System

• • Further promote the separate collection and precision dismantling of ELVs, waste electrical and electronic equipment, waste traction batteries, waste electrical machinery, and waste wind and solar power equipment.
  • Improve sorting accuracy for steel materials, non-ferrous metals, plastics, and other materials.
  • Establish and enhance collection and processing systems for ELVs and waste traction batteries.
  • Strengthen source-separated collection systems for waste plastics, waste paper, waste glass, waste textiles, and other materials.
  • Promote revisions to the Administrative Measures for the Management of Renewable Resources.

Strengthening the Use of Recycled Materials in Key Products

The plan identifies five key product categories, specifying the types of recycled materials to be used and the components in which these materials should be incorporated. Manufacturers are encouraged to adopt recycled materials as follows:

The plan also notes that incentive measures—such as preferential procurement policies for products using recycled materials—will be considered and promoted.

The original text of the plan (Simplified Chinese) is available at:
https://www.ndrc.gov.cn/xxgk/zcfb/tz/202512/t20251231_1402965.html